Elvis Presley Music

   

 

Elvis Aaron Presley - In The U.S. Army 1958-1960

G.I. Elvis PresleyJanuary 19, 1953, Elvis registers for the U.S. Selective Service System. Under the draft system, young men of good health were expected to be available from age 18, to serve in the military for two years of active duty and then four years in the reserves.

January 4, 1957 Elvis reports to Kennedy Veterans Hospital for an Army pre-induction physical Photos.

January 8, 1957, on his twenty second birthday, the Memphis Draft Board held a press conference and announced Elvis would be classified 1A and would probably be drafted sometime that year.

With the news of Elvis' forthcoming induction, the Navy and the Air Force offered bids for his services - the Navy offering to create a specially trained 'Elvis Presley company' and the Air Force thinking it would be good for him to tour their recruiting centers. Elvis turned down their offers, not wanting any special treatment. Elvis was going to serve like a regular G.I.

Elvis Presley 1958

January 13, Elvis arrives in California to begin pre production on his fourth movie, King Creole Off Site Link. The movie, many consider to be his best, was adapted from the popular Harold RobinsOff Site Link novel 'A Stone For Danny Fisher' and originally intended for James Dean. The film is directed by Michael Curtis and Elvis' costars are Dean Jagger, Carolyn Jones, Walter Matthau and Dolores Hart Off Site Link.

January 15, 1958 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

Elvis works on the soundtrack for 'King Creole' at Radio Recorders. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller Off Site Link who have written several songs for the movie are in charge and Elvis appreciates their input.

Hard Headed Woman J2PB 3603-10
Trouble J2PB 3604-05
New Orleans J2PB 3605-05
King Creole (Alternate Master) J2PB 3606-18
Crawfish J2PB 3607-07

January 16, 1958 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

Elvis continues recording from 9.00am to 5.30pm.

Dixieland Rock J2PB 3608-14
Lover Doll J2PB 3609-07
Don't Ask Me Why J2PB 3610-12
As Long As I Have You J2PB 3611-10
Steadfast Loyal & True (Movie Version) WPA5 2586-06
As Long As I Have You (Short Movie Version) ____-04
As Long As I Have You (Long Movie Version) WPA5 2509-08

January 23, 1958 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

Elvis re-records Leiber and Stoller's 'King Creole' now being strongly considered as the title track for the movie. The two songwriters are not present, having returned to New York at the conclusion of recording on the 16th thinking their job done.

King Creole (Revised) J2PB 3612-13
Young Dreams J2PB 3613-08
King Creole (Main Title - Instrumental) ____-08
My Wish Came True J2PB 0178-NA
Doncha' Think It's Time J2PB 0179-NA

Elvis wants Leiber and Stoller present at his next session and tells Tom Diskin he is prepared to reschedule if necessary. Tom Diskin informs Steve Sholes in two separate letters dated January 24 and 29 of Elvis' wishes.

RCA was desperate to get Elvis into the recording studio before he was inducted so RCA could be assured of a steady stream of new releases available during his two year tour of duty.

February 1, 1958 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

Elvis begins his last scheduled recording session prior to induction without Leiber and Stoller, whom Steve Sholes has been unable to contact. Ernst Jorgensen in his book A Life in Music Off Site Link says that Jerry Leiber, 'whose innovative arranging skills Elvis was counting on for the session', was in a New York hospital with pneumonia and couldn't even consider traveling to Los Angeles. Elvis' first reaction was to postpone or even call off the session, but with induction imminent and the RCA obligation looming overhead, he returned to the studio with no real outside help. Elvis' appears to have become dependant on Leiber and Stoller, when previous RCA session prove this unnecessary.

Elvis works from 10.00am to 7.00pm but gets nowhere with 'My Wish Came True' then spend forty-eight takes on 'Doncha Think It's Time' trying to get a satisfactory take. Dissatisfied with that he then tried Hank William's classic 'Your Cheatin' Heart' but again he is not satisfied with the result. The last song of the day is 'Wear My Ring Around Your Neck', but Elvis struggles to cut what is intended to be the A side of his next single.

My Wish Came True (Remake) J2WB 0178-NM
Doncha' Think It's Time J2WB 0179-SP
Your Cheatin' Heart J2WB 0180-10
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck J2WB 0181-22

February 11, 1958 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

Elvis records soundtrack material on Paramount's sound stage. he re-records 'Steadfast, Loyal and True' and works on the Ben Weisman Off Site Link song 'Danny' which remains under consideration for the film's title song.

Danny WPKM 8123-10
Steadfast Loyal & True (Solo) J2PB 4226-NA

February 26, 1958 Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

There is a brief recording sessions ar Radio Recorders at which Elvis overdubs guitar-slapping and piano on 'Wear My Ring Around Your Neck'

Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - Guitar Back Beat J2WB 0181
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - Piano overdub J2WB 0181

March 3, 'King Creole' Filming begins in New Orleans'.

March 14, After returning to Hollywood on the 12th, Elvis and party take a train to Dallas on the 14th and then set off on the 500 mile dive to Memphis, renting a string of Cadillacs.

March 19, Elvis and Anita Wood looked at new auto-mobiles Photos. Elvis is spending his last week at home before induction into the army March 24. In a cleaver marketing move, Elvis is 'commissioned' as a 'Kernel' by popcorn tycoon Jim Blevins on the pretext that his pictures have sold more popcorn than any other films in 1956 and 1957. So now we have 'Kernel' Elvis Presley :-) - On March 8, 1961, Elvis addresses the Tennessee State Legislature Photos and accepts the title of 'Honorary Colonel'.

March 21, Elvis buys a 1956 Ford Off Site Link for Anita Wood as a going-away present.

March 24, 1958, at 6:35 AM, Elvis, accompanied by his parents and a group of family and friends, reports to the Memphis Draft Board. From there, he and twelve other recruits were bused to Kennedy Veterans Memorial Hospital. There, Elvis is assigned army serial number 53 310 761, and after his physical is put in charge of the group.

After being processed and sworn in, Elvis said his good-byes and Private Presley was bused with the others from Memphis to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas for further processing.

- Photos - Elvis, Gladys and Vernon at Graceland + Army Induction - March 24, 1958 Photos

Film
Elvis Army Induction March 24, 1958 (01:12) - Silent
Above, silent footage of Elvis Parents, Anita Wood and Elvis at Kennedy Veterans Memorial Hospital, waiting to leave by bus for Fort Chaffee.
MP3 Audio
Elvis Army Swearing In March 24, 1958 (00:30)
Above, Elvis' Army Swearing In - Directed by Mayor Elbert Turner - Memphis Tennessee March 24, 1958.

March 25, At Fort Chaffee, Elvis received his famous G.I. haircut and coined the phrase 'Hair today, gone tomorrow', in a comment to the news media. He was assigned to the Second Armored Division's 'Hell On Wheels' unit (formerly led by General George Patton) and was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Within days, Elvis' manager received 5,000 pieces of mail sent to Elvis at Fort Chaffee and mail continued to pour in for the famous soldier.

May 28, Private Presley has earned a marksman's medal with a carbine and achieved 'sharpshooter' level with a pistol and has been named acting assistant leader of his squad.

May 31, The Colonel and Anita arrive at the gates of Fort Hood at 6.00am to pick up Elvis, Rex mansfield and William Norvell for a well deserved two week leave. Elvis arrived home at Graceland late in the evening.

June 1, Elvis is home at Graceland on furlough and enjoys some time with family and friends.

Elvis explains the insignia on his uniform to fans at the gates of Graceland Sunday evening June 1, 1958.
Elvis explains the insignia on his uniform to fans at the gates of Graceland Sunday evening June 1, 1958

RCA had continued to push for more sessions before Elvis shipped out to Germany in September, and the Colonel reluctantly agreed to both a recording session and a photo session during this two week furlough.

Nashville Sessions

June 10, Elvis managed to squeeze in a quick Nashville recording session, his last session until the spring of 1960 after his discharge from active duty.

June 10, 1958 RCA Studio B - Nashville, Tennessee

I Need Your Love Tonight J2WB 3253-18
A Big Hunk O' Love J2WB 3254-SP
Ain't That Loving You Baby J2WB 3255-04
Ain't That Loving You Baby (Fast Version) PPA5 2672-SP
(Now And Then There's A) Fool Such As I J2WB 3256-09

June 11, 1958 RCA Studio B - Nashville, Tennessee

I Got Stung J2WB 3257-24

At this session, one of his best, Elvis recorded 'I Need Your Love Tonight', 'A Big Hunk O' Love', 'Ain't That Loving You Baby', 'Ain't That Loving You Baby' (Fast Version), '(Now And Then There's A) Fool Such As I' and 'I Got Stung'. All except 'Ain't That Loving You Baby' were released in 1958 / 1959 with great success.

'Wear My Ring Around Your Neck' #3 / 'Doncha' Think It's Time' #21 April '58
'One Night' #4 / 'I Got Stung' #8 October '58
'(Now And Then There's A) Fool Such As I' #2 / 'I Need Your Love Tonight' #4 March '59
'A Big Hunk O' Love' #1 / 'My Wish Came True' #12 June '59

('My Wish Came True' was from the September '57 sessions.)

June 14, Elvis returned to Fort Hood for ten weeks of advanced tank training.

June 26, Elvis' mother and father moved temporarily to Killeen, Texas near the base. Elvis applied for and received permission to live off base with them - off-base living being an option any G.I. had the option of applying for. Elvis obtained a three-bedroom trailer home and moved there with his parents, grandmother Minnie Mae, and friend Lamar Fike.

July 1, When the trailer became a little too cramped, following the arrival of cousins Gene and Junior Smith, Elvis simply rented a house where he could stay with his family on the weekends while undergoing advanced tank training during the week. Friends from all over would drop by, and Gladys would prepare food for everyone.

July 2, 'King Creole' opens in theaters nationwide.

August 8, All though the summer Gladys has been feeling ill. As her condition worsens Elvis insists that she do something about it, putting his parents on a train to memphis so that she can see her personal physician, Dr. Charles Clarke.

August 9, Responding to an 11.30am emergency call, an ambulance transports Mrs. Presley from Graceland to Methodist Hospital, where her condition is listed as grave.

Elvis completes Advanced Tank Training.

August 11, Elvis commences his Basic unit Training.

August 12, After more effort than it would take for any ordinary soldier, including calls from Gladys' Doctor to military personnel in Washington and Elvis' desperate threat to go AWAOL, Elvis is finally granted emergency leave, flying from Fort Worth to Texas with Lamar Fike and going straight to the hospital to visit his gravely ill mother.

August 13, Vernon remains at his wife's side throughout the night, while Elvis after spending the evening at home, returns in the morning and again in the afternoon, not leaving until close to midnight.

Vernon & Elvis Presley - August '58
Vernon & Elvis Presley - August '58

August 14, At approximately 3.15am, with her husband at her side Gladys Love Presley Photos dies at the age of 46. Both Elvis and Vernon are inconsolable.

In the early afternoon with hundreds of fans at the gates, Gladys is brought home to Graceland. Elvis wants the funeral conducted at the house but the Colonel convinces Elvis that security will not be able to be effectively maintained and arrangements are made to have the service at The Memphis Funeral Home.

August 15, Gladys funeral is held at 3:30pm. Elvis sobbed hysterically while Gladys' favourite gospel group, the Blackwood Brothers, performed at the service in the Memphis Funeral Home, and he was equally inconsolable at her Forest Hill Cemetery grave site, crying out, 'Oh God, everything I have is gone'. Elvis leans over the grave, crying out, inconsolably, 'Goodbye, darling, goodbye. I love you so much. You know how much I lived my whole life just for you'.

The mourning continued through the next few days as Elvis was granted extended leave. Evidently his fans were grieving too -- they sent him more than 100,000 cards and letters, around 500 telegrams, and more than 200 floral arrangements to express their sympathy for his loss. Still, even though it would never be the same, life had to carry on.

August 16, Elvis insists upon attending the funeral of Red West's Father who died the previous day. later in the afternoon Elvis insists on visiting his mothers grave.

August 18, Elvis' seven-day leave is extended for five more days, during which the Memphis Highway Patrol tries to cheer Elvis up by giving him helicopter rides over Graceland and the city.

The Memphis Highway Patrol tries to cheer Elvis up by giving him helicopter rides over Graceland and the city.
The Memphis Highway Patrol tries to cheer Elvis up with helicopter rides over Graceland

August 24, Elvis returns to Fort Hood, leaving instructions that nothing is to be altered in his mothers room while he is gone.

September 11, Elvis is assigned to the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor, 3rd Armored Division in what was then known as West Germany.

September 19, Elvis leaves Fort Hood at 7.00pm on a troop train bound for the Brooklyn Army Terminal in New York.

September 22, The troop train arrives in Brooklyn at 9.00am.

Along the way, Colonel Tom Parker organized a press conference when Elvis' troop train arrived in Brooklyn, New York, at which he answered questions about his army duty, his music, and his Mom. He offered a heartfelt account of his continued mourning to the assembled reporters: 'Everyone loses their mother, but I was an only child, and Mother was always right with me all my life. And it wasn't only like losing a mother, it was like losing a friend, a companion, someone to talk to. I could wake her up any hour of the night if I was worried or troubled about something ...she'd get up and try to help me'.

After the press conference Elvis boarded the U.S.S. Randall - he walks up the gangplank of the USS Randall eight times, toting a borrowed duffel bag, so the assembled photographers and camera men can all get a good shot.

U.S.S. Randall On The Way To Germany

During the crossing Elvis and Charlie Hodge Off Site Link became fast friends. They bunked together at Elvis' request and Charlie cheers him up with jokes and tales of show business. Together they are put in charge of a shipboard talent show in which Elvis plays piano in the back up band (at the Colonels explicit instructions, he does not sing) while Charlie acts as MC.

Elvis plays piano on the U.S.S. Randall
Rockin' The Randall - Elvis plays piano on the U.S.S. Randall

Arriving in Germany on and October 1, Elvis' unit was stationed in Friedberg, Germany. Upon arrival he was assigned to the Ray Kaserne barracks. He served in Company C, a scout platoon.

In West Germany, there was another press conference and further meet-and-greets during the first few days. Vernon and his mother, Minnie Mae -- whom Elvis had affectionately called 'Dodger' ever since she had ducked away from a ball he had thrown at her as a child -- set up residence with Elvis and his friends Red West and Lamar Fike in a couple of hotels: one in Bad Homburg, near Frankfurt; the other in Bad Nauheim, about 20 minutes from the base.

Elvis would rise every morning at 5:30, eat the breakfast Dodger had prepared for him, and leave for base by 6:30 in a black Mercedes taxi, before returning for lunch and dinner. The only exception was Friday, when Elvis and his fellow soldiers had to stay late into the evening, cleaning the toilets and their barracks for weekly inspection the following morning. It had been a long time since the King was obliged to do any such chores, yet he mucked in with the other soldiers and did his best to be perceived -- during the day, at least -- as just a regular guy.

Some evenings, Elvis and his friends surreptitiously went to the movies -- sneaking into theaters after the lights went down and leaving just before the final credits to avoid being noticed -- and even to a couple of Bill Haley concerts. Elvis also dated a few girls while keeping in regular phone contact with girlfriend Anita Wood Off Site Link back in America.

The G.I. Blues of Elvis Presley

In The GI Blues Of Elvis Presley, General Colin Powell, Lamar Fike joins Elvis' fellow-soldiers, Rex Mansfield, William Norvell and Platoon Leader William Taylor in paying tribute to The King's brief, but successful, military career during which he was promoted from private to sergeant in two years.

General Colin Powell told presenter Paul Gambaccini: 'He served his country for two years, I saw him in the field, I ran across him in the woods while he was doing what every other GI does and he was thought of well enough by his commanders that he was promoted from private to sergeant before he left. 'He was drafted like any other young man about his age. He stepped forward when his number came up and was willing to give up a career without any objection. Frankly it was in his best interests to do that because it showed he was a patriot and willing to serve as a soldier and he went back after serving in the army to a career that became even bigger'. Read full story Off Site Link.

MP3 Audio
The G.I. Blues of Elvis Presley Part 1 (07:32)
MP3 Audio
The G.I. Blues of Elvis Presley Part 2 (06:20)
MP3 Audio
The G.I. Blues of Elvis Presley Part 3 (07:17)
MP3 Audio
The G.I. Blues of Elvis Presley Part 4 (06:42)

October 23, Elvis attends the Bill Haley Off Site Link performance in Frankfort and visits Haley backstage.

Elvis Presely abd Bill Haley backstage - Frankfort October 23, 1958
Elvis Presely abd Bill Haley backstage - Frankfort October 23, 1958

October 28, Obviously very homesick, Elvis writes to Anita Wood. He describes himself as a 'lonely little boy 5000 miles away' and that he would never love anyone else in his life as he loved her. Elvis adds that, 'he looks forward to their marriage and 'a little Elvis'.

October 29, Elvis attends another Bill Haley concert in Stuttgart.

November 3, Private Presley with Company C, arrives in Grafenwöhr on the Czech border for field exercises, where they remain through November and much of December. Elvis is promoted to Private First Class for his endeavours in field exercises.

Private Elvis Presley in Grafenwoehr - November 1958
Private Elvis Presley in Grafenwoehr - November 1958

December 20, Elvis returns to Bad Nauheim at the conclusion of maneuvers to spend the holiday season with family and friends, he also spent part of Christmas Eve helping to decorate the company's Christmas tree.

December 21, Elvis leases a white BMW 507 Photos sports car.

December 25, Elvis' first Christmas in Germany.

December 27, Elvis attends the Holiday on Ice Show in Frankfurt.

Elvis Presley 1959

Then, at the start of January 1959, one of the girls whom Elvis had briefly dated, 19-year-old Elisabeth Stefaniak, moved into the Hotel Grunewald with him and his inner circle, having accepted an invitation to work as his secretary.

It was particularly handy that, courtesy of her German mother and American stepfather, Elisabeth was bilingual. So, installing herself in a corner room at the hotel, she answered his fan mail and became romantically involved with him despite the knowledge that he continued to see other girls.

January 8, Elvis celebrates his twenty-fourth birthday.

MP3 Audio
Hawaiian DJ, Tom Moffett Calls Elvis Jan, 1959 (01:57)

January 19, With other soldiers, Elvis donates blood at the Wartturm Barracks in Friedberg for the German Red Cross.

With other soldiers, Elvis donates blood at the Wartturm Barracks in Friedberg for the German Red Cross.

In early February the Presley clan relocated to a three-story, five-bedroom house at Goethestrasse 14, which afforded everyone more space and privacy than the nearby Hotel Grunewald. For the exorbitant rent of $800 a month, it also provided them with a landlady named Frau Pieper who doubled as their housekeeper.

At last, Elvis was living in a home where he could relax away from prying eyes, listen to records, entertain friends, and sit at a piano to play and sing his favourite songs. He came home every day for lunch, and each evening he would spend time signing autographs for fans who waited patiently in front of the house. On Sundays he and some friends would play touch football just down the street.

February 5, Elvis learns of the deaths of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the 'Big Bopper' in a airplane crash and Tom Diskin wires condolences to the family on Elvis' behalf. Amazingly, the last words Buddy said to Waylon Jennings Off Site Link, who had given up his seat to the 'Big Bopper', were jokingly, 'I hope your bus crashes' and Waylon's reply was 'Well I hope your plane crashes'. It took Waylon many years to be able to tell anyone of this.

February 7, Elvis attends the Holiday on Ice Show in Frankfort. He has become friendly with a number of the skaters and visits backstage.

February 13, Although Elvis didn't give any concerts in Germany, German teenagers idolized him and viewed him as a rebel. But local newspapers were not always among the King's most ardent fans. Under the headline 'Elvis the traffic obstacle' the daily Wetterauer Zeitung reported in February 1959 how Elvis had irresponsibly stopped his car in Friedberg's main street to give autographs to a crowd of young girls. 'Thereby not only the traffic was severely disrupted, but the girls themselves were put in danger of being run over by passing cars...Only when two police officers intervened did the spectacle end', wrote an angry journalist.

March 3, 1959, accompanied by friends Red West Off Site Link and Lamar Fike, Elvis used a three-day pass to visit Munich and call unannounced on Vera Tschechowa, an 18-year-old actress whom he'd met a few months earlier. Together, they visited the Moulin Rouge nightclub.

Elvis Presley & Vera Tschechowa - March 3, 1959
Elvis Presley & Vera Tschechowa - March 3, 1959

As usual, the press was on hand to photograph Elvis with his 'latest flame'. In this case they also took numerous shots of him posing with the club's showgirls, but all it really amounted to was a footloose and fancy-free young man having some fun.

March 4, Elvis and Vera visit the set of a Viking movie.

Elvis and Vera Tschechowa go for a boat ride at Lake Starnberg
Elvis Presley & Vera Tschechowa

March 5, Elvis and Vera go for a boat ride at Lake Starnberg, and once again he returns to the Moulin Rouge nightclub that evening with Red and Lamar, to wrap up his three-day leave.

March 26, Vernon and Elizabeth Stefaniak (Elvis secretary in Germany - who will eventually marry Rex Mansfield) are in an automobile accident on the Autobahn. Rumours spread that Elvis has been killed, even though he was not even in the car.

March 27, Elvis celebrates the halfway mark of his army stint with an Over the Hump Photos party.

April 12, Open house at Elvis' barracks, in celebration of the eighteenth anniversary of the 3rd Armored Division. It is Elvis' job to drive visitors around the camp in a truck.

Vernon & G.I. Elvis Presley

In June, Red West returns to the United States.

June 13, Elvis boards a train to Munich accompanied by Lamar Fike as well as his two army buddies Charlie Hodge and Rex Mansfield. During this fifteen-day furlough they visit both Munich and Paris.

June 15, Elvis and his entourage of three travel to Paris in a private train car.

June 17, Elvis gives a brief press conference in Paris.

All in all, the Paris stopover was a live-by-night, sleep-by-day adventure.

June 27, in order to be able to stay in Paris up to the last minute, Elvis hires a limousine to get him back to the barracks.

For photos of Elvis in Paris we recommend the book Elvis a ParisOff Site Link.

Elvis the BMW 507 in front Goethestraße 14, in Bad Nauheim - June 1959
Elvis the BMW 507 in front Goethestraße 14, in Bad Nauheim - June 1959

August 1959, Elvis swaps his white BMW 507 for a Red BMW 507.

August 15, U.S. Army Captain Paul Beaulieu, his wife, and their three children arrive in Wiesbaden, Germany, from their previous posting at Bergstrom Air Force base in Austin, Texas.

Priscilla Beaulieu
Priscilla Beaulieu
 
Priscilla Beaulieu & Elvis Presley in Germany
Elvis and Priscilla Beaulieu
 
Priscilla Beaulieu

Sunday, September 13, Fourteen-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu had only recently been voted 'Queen of Del Valley Junior High' by her classmates in Austin, Texas, when 24-year-old Elvis Presley first met her on this day.

Much has been made of the fact that Priscilla was only 14 when the pair was introduced, but the young girl was mature for her age, and Elvis was mindful of the implications of the situation.

Elvis spent the rest of that Sunday evening talking to Priscilla and, amid a room full of friends, even sang to her. It wasn't long before he asked Currie Grant to invite her back.

Soon Elvis and Priscilla began dating, and after Elvis met Priscilla's parents and convinced them that his intentions were honorable, they saw each other frequently during his last few months in West Germany. Because of Elvis' inability to go out in public unrecognised (and without creating a mob scene), most of his dates with Priscilla consisted of her visits to his house, where they were surrounded by Elvis' family members and friends. Although a relationship with someone so young could have had a ruinous effect on Elvis' image, there was surprisingly little publicity about his interest in Priscilla. Read more.

Elvis wasn't the only Presley to find a new love in Germany. His father, Vernon, met Dee Stanley while the Presley family was living in Bad Nauheim. At the time they met, Dee was in the process of divorcing her military husband. Dee returned to America with Vernon after Elvis' discharge, and the two were married in Huntsville, Alabama, in July 1960. Elvis did not attend his father's wedding, which led to speculation that the marriage caused friction between the two men. (Elvis not only gained a stepmother, but he got three stepbrothers as well.)

December 25, Elvis arranges to have a French poodle delivered to Anita Wood Off Site Link for Christmas and throws a party for family and friends. Priscilla Beaulieu gives Elvis a set of bongo drums.

Just prior to his return to America, in an interview in Germany for Armed Forces Radio and Television, Elvis was asked about being in the field rather than entertaining in a service club. His response was, '... I was in a funny position. Actually, that's the only way it could be. People were expecting me to mess up (laughs), to goof up in one way or another. They thought I couldn't take it and so forth, and I was determined to go to any limits to prove otherwise, not only to the people who were wondering, but to myself'.

Rex Mansfield would latter marry Elisabeth Stefaniak, together they wrote the book, 'Sergeant Elvis Presley' in 2002.

Elvis Presley in GermanyThoughts on Sergeant Presley from his Platoon Leader

'I simply cannot forget that Elvis chose to serve in a combat unit. If others want to argue that he did so because his agent, Colonel Tom Parker, thought it would be good for public relations' purposes, that's their opinion. But I don't believe it. Aside from the fact that our battalion could have gone to war with the Soviets at any time, there are real risks every single day in a combat unit. ... [Elvis] pulled his weight. He used his head and did his job well. He was one of us. He cared about us. And he got back the respect and friendship he gave everyone else. In several instances, I saw sparks of leadership in Elvis that made me think he could have induced men to follow him into combat, just as his music caused millions of young people to follow him'. William J. Taylor, Jr., PhD, Colonel USA Retired.

Next Elvis Presley 1960 -1966 Next Page

Photos - Elvis Presley In The US Army Photos
Photos - Elvis Presley Kennedy Veterans Hospital Jan 4, 1957Photos
Photos - Elvis with Gladys & Vernon + Army Induction - 1958 Photos

Elvis 1950s Recordings 50's Masters | Elvis 1960s Recordings 60's Masters | Elvis 1970s Recordings 70's Masters

Related Reading

- Elvis' middle name, is it Aron or Aaron?
- Interview with Charlie Hodge
- Interview with Anita Wood
- Married at 21, Priscilla Presley Recalls Her Time With Elvis
- Elvis wanted to be just one of the GIs
- 3d Armored Division Co-Stars with Elvis
- Army Achievement Letter
- Elvis Lives on in Bonn

References

- References References

A Date With Elvis - Army Days Revisited - Essential. The book is in both English and German which enhances the book and it Being about Elvis in Germany. Filled with 900 rare and previously unpublished photos, original news stories, interviews and pictures of memorabilia over 240 pages, this book is highly recommended. Also Includes the text of interviews such as Graceland 1960, Pat Hernon, Elvis Sails etc. Unbelievable, fascinating, just brilliant! What more could I say? A Date With Elvis - Army Days Revisited is a "must have"! ~ Ger Rijff (Author Inside King Creole)

Private Presley: The Missing Years - Elvis in Germany - By Andreas SchrÖer, part author of the above 'A Date With Elvis'. 'Private Presley' traces the story of Elvis's two years in the army: the trauma of his mother's death just three weeks before he left for Germany; the media circus of his arrival and the constant attention of the press during his stay; his first experiments with drugs; the girls with whom he was and was not involved; his early encounters with his future wife, Priscilla, who was just fourteen when they met; and his triumphant return to America.

Elvis Day By Day - By Ernst Jorgensen & Peter Guralnick is a complete account of public, private, rare, forgotten, and renowned moments, captured with such detail and immediacy they read like diary entries in a life--from first steps to the first time the young 'hillbilly cat' stepped on stage; from the creation of a revolutionary new sound to the last days of a universally known, tragically misunderstood music legend. No longer in print. Grab one if you find one.

- Elvis A Paris Book
- The Ultimate Elvis In Munich Book
- Private Presley - Elvis In Germany Book

Elvis Albums 1958-1959 (Now on CD)

CD Elvis' Golden Records - Released March 1958
CD King Creole
- Released August 1958
CD For LP Fans Only - Released February 1959
CD Elvis Sails - Released March 1959
CD A Date With Elvis - Released September 1959
CD 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong - Released December 1959
CD In A Private Moment CD - Home Recordings Germany
Stop, look and listen baby that's our philosophy .... First thing in the morning, last thing at night ... look, stare everywhere and see everything inside .... Stop, look and listen!
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