Auburn man returns Army watch to original owner five decades after it goes missing

David Smith never expected that a forgotten relic from his past would bridge generations, spark new friendships and become a timeless gesture of the Auburn spirit.

But that’s exactly what happened after Smith – an alumnus of Auburn University ‑ began examining the past of an old Army watch he had tucked away, a watch that had gone unnoticed for more than 50 years. 

Recently, that all changed as Smith picked up the watch—bearing a large “A”—that had been resting on his bedside table. It had been given to him by his grandfather decades before and prior to Smith's time as a student at Auburn University. At the time, his “Paw Paw” owned a pawn shop in Daleville, Alabama. 

“I would often spend time with him at his pawn shop,” Smith said. “He would let me build forts, putt golf balls and talk with soldiers that came in. Every now and then, he would send something home with me that was for sale and the soldier never came back for it.”

The watch on Smith’s nightstand was one of those items. And it was on a whim that Smith recently decided he should replace the watch’s battery. As he examined the timeworn face bearing the letter “A” for Army, his eyes then drifted to the inscription on the back: “G. Doepke – Lacrosse – U.S.M.A. – 1971.” 

Honoring the past

The name was unfamiliar, but something about it stirred him deeply. How had this watch found its way into his possession? What had it meant to the original owner? And why, after all these years, did he feel compelled to uncover its story?

Smith said he felt a calling—an obligation to honor the past and reconnect the watch with its rightful owner. Fueled by the same persistence that had defined his Auburn days, Smith embarked on a search for the correct G. Doepke, and it didn’t take long.

Smith began researching online and quickly found Greg Doepke’s contact, sending him a text with a picture of the watch. Days passed with no response, but he refused to let it go. He sent a second text.  This time, Doepke responded, surprised and intrigued. He couldn’t recall losing the watch, but as memories slowly resurfaced, he realized how much it symbolized. 

“It all came back to me and reminded me of my time on the Army lacrosse team, my journey through military service and the camaraderie of teammates who had once shared dreams of championship glory,” Doepke said, adding that “David’s actions of returning the watch reflect so well the Auburn spirit and the power of generosity.”

Smith and Doepke spoke about the watch at length by phone, and Smith then proceeded to mail the watch back to Doepke with a letter enclosed. 

“I was going through my side table next to my bed, and there was your watch,” Smith wrote in the letter. “I thought I would see if it needed a battery, and that is when I saw the inscription on the back! So, I started digging online, and there you were.” 

Smith continued, writing that “It would do my heart a lot of good and my mother would be proud to know that the G. Doepke that played Lacrosse at West Point in 1971 now has his watch back. The return of your watch keeps my grandfather’s memory and his nature alive.”

A common bond

Another interesting discovery for Smith was realizing just how much he and Doekpe have in common when it comes to Auburn. Doepke lives in Auburn, Alabama, and his wife, Suzette – whom he met at Auburn — graduated from the university’s College of Education in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Both remain stalwart supporters of the College of Education and are huge Auburn fans just like Smith. 

The return of the watch reinforced what the Doepkes already knew about the Auburn Family, and Smith’s action also spurred Doepke to reach out to his former lacrosse teammates, reconnecting bonds that had been dormant for half a century. Emails turned to memories, and the spirit of team camaraderie was reborn.

These days, Doepke uses the watch story as part of a “Compose a Legacy of Love” course that’s offered through the Aspire to Give Academy, an initiative Doepke founded in 2019 to instill the power of giving in others. 

“The impact of David’s generosity did not stop there,” Doepke said. “His actions carry a profound lesson—one that mirrored the very philosophy I have dedicated my life to teaching.”

The watch story even inspired an Aspire to Give blog of real-life stories of generosity, using Smith’s kindness as the inaugural tale. 

“The return of the watch became more than a personal reunion,” Doepke said. “It was a testament to how Auburn’s spirit transcended time, generations and even chance encounters.”

And just as the Auburn spirit lives on with Smith, Doepke and so many others, so does the watch.  

“It still ticks!” Smith wrote in concluding his letter to Doepke. “War Eagle, and Semper Paratus!”