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Seeking Washington Heights Korean War Vet's Descendants

Frank Gossett, Eddie Hines and James P. (Jimmy) Cumiskey were childhood friends in Washington Heights in the late 1940s and early 1950s

Eddie and Jimmy signed up and went off to fight in Korea. Eddie never came back, and Jimmy was never the same. Gossett saved letters and photos from his buddies serving in Korea in a small green tin canister in his closet for over 60 years. These letters were found after Gossett's death three and a half years ago and his son Frank published them in a book called Forgotten Soldiers From Our Forgotten War, which is available at Amazon.com. "When I found the letters and their envelopes addressed to 516 West 180th Street along with photos that my father had saved, I immediately knew what I had to do with them," said Gossett's son Frank. He self-published them and began visiting veteran and senior homes in New Jersey and Illinois reading the letters and researching the forgotten war along the way. "There was never any mention of the Korean Conflict of the early 50s when I went to school. I had no idea that China and Russia supported North Korea as they formed their communist government. After my final readings of the letters at the Korean War National Museum in Springfield, Illinois about a year and a half ago, I met a man who served in the same regiment as Eddie Hines. He told me that he did not know Eddie, but he knew exactly where he was the day Eddie was killed in action. From him I got in touch with a group that works with the 180th Regiment that he and Eddie were part of, and from there I received a phone call from Eddie's commander. He was seriously wounded on the morning Eddie was killed and was flown out of Korea that morning. He told me that it was not until 20 years later that he found out what happened that day, that 11 young men under his command, including Eddie Hines, had been killed in combat.” That reading of letters from Korea at the Korean War National Museum would be the last time Frank Gossett’s son Frank Farrell would read them in public. Farrell had been a successful actor and director in Chicago for 38 years and he adapted the letters into a play called Forgotten Soldiers. “I shared the letters with the family of Jimmy Cumiskey, but I haven’t been able to track down any of Eddie Hines’ relatives. Eddie was supposed to be my sister Sharon’s godfather, but his mother Rose Riley Hines stood in for him. Eddie had an older brother Charles and his sister Margie gave birth to a girl, perhaps named Mary, one month before Corporal Edward F. Hines, 180 Infantry Regiment, RA 12334067, was killed in action in Korea on Saturday, June 14, 1952. “I want this play Forgotten Soldiers to have its first performances in Washington Heights. I hope by doing so I may find Eddie’s relatives so that I can share with them his letters sent from Korea to my father. Eddie and his family lived across the street from my father at 527 West 180th Street. I visited the church where they had Eddie’s funeral, the St. Rose of Lima Church on 165th Street, but I was told they had no funeral records on file before 1960.” But there is another reason why Farrell wants his play to be seen. “Korea, North and South, is very much in the news today. The war on this peninsula in East Asia may be close to finally ending. It is important to me that the young men who died fighting the good fight against advancing communism be not forgotten. The story these letters tell about Eddie, Jimmy and my parents is poignant, heart breaking and finally a story of brave young men and women who were caught up in one of history’s most tragic circumstances.” Four performances of Forgotten Soldiers are planned to be presented at the Our Savior’s Atonement Lutheran Church/Cornerstone Center, at 178 Bennett Avenue in Washington Heights, New York City on Fridays and Saturdays, November 9 & 10 (Veteran’s Day weekend) and November 16 & 17 at 7:30pm. Farrell is currently raising the funds for these four performances and asking for donations through a Go Fund Me Account he has set up at <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/forgotten-soldiers">http://www.gofundme.com/forgotten-soldiers</a>. You can find out more about this new play and Farrell’s efforts to present it to the public at the Forgotten Soldiers Facebook page at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Forgotten-Soldiers-200735554059729/">http://www.facebook.com/Forgotten-Soldiers-200735554059729/</....

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Seeking Washington Heights Korean War Vet's Descendants

Frank Gossett, Eddie Hines and James P. (Jimmy) Cumiskey were childhood friends in Washington Heights in the late 1940s and early 1950s

Frank Farrell, Neighbor

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