THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 26, 1995 TAG: 9510240147
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Since his house in Norva Homes burned Sept. 20, Paul Liephart has been finding out how wide his circle of friends really is.
A story in last week's Compass reported how the community had rallied around Liephart, an 85-year-old retired Navy widower.
Now Liephart has learned how far back those ties go.
Elden Smith, 72, of the 5900 block of McGinnis Circle in River Forest Shores, doesn't get out much anymore. Twice retired, he suffers from cardiorespiratory problems that keep him close to home. But he still reads the paper. When he saw the story on Liephart, he could hardly believe his eyes.
``I hadn't heard from Paul in years; didn't even know he was still alive,'' Smith said. ``I guess it'd been about 10 years since I'd seen him.''
As a young hospital corpsman who had lied about his age to enlist in the Navy, Smith had served under Liephart during World War II. He hasn't forgotten the lessons Liephart, then a chief, passed along to him.
``I still remember the qualities of leadership he instilled in me,'' Smith said. ``They served me in good stead later on when I became a chief. I ended up on independent duty - the best damn duty a corpsman can get - and it was Chief Liephart who taught me.''
Reading about his former shipmate's current difficulties sent Smith into action. That same day, he contacted Cynthia Jedlowski, mentioned in the story, and Frances Broome, with whom Liephart is staying. Liephart returned the call, and the two old sailors were back in touch.
``I sent him a check for a couple hundred dollars,'' Smith later explained. ``I put a note with it that said it's not charity; it's for contributions he made to me.''
Like his old Navy boss, Liephart, Smith has had an interesting life. Born in Shreveport, La., and raised in West Virginia, he enlisted in the Navy in 1940. During World War II, after serving with Liephart, he had two ships shot out from under him. He retired from the Navy in 1962 and went to work for the state health department, where he stayed for another 27 years. His wife, Maggie, whom he married in 1942, was the secretary at St. Mary's church for 25 years. She died in 1988.
Because of his health, Smith isn't sure whether a reunion with his old shipmate, whom he holds in high regard, will be possible or not. But he's glad to be able, in some measure, to repay an old debt.
``I have a little money,'' Smith explained, ``being retired from the Navy and the health department. And there's just me. It's enough to give some to people like Paul who need it.'' by CNB