Sergeant Elvis Presley Back in the USA - March 5, 6 and 7, 1960

March 5, 1960, Elvis is officially discharged from active duty at 9.15am. Although the official date of release was scheduled for March 23. After receiving his mustering out check of $109.54 and his formal honorable discharge (unlike his manager many years earlier), he and Colonel Parker travel by limousine, 'mysteriously vanishing', the press reports, 'from a snow-packed and fan-laden highway'. Their destination is a Trenton, New Jersey, hotel where they are joined by Lamar Fike and Rex Mansfield. That same evening, the group takes a private railroad car to Washington, D.C.

March 6, 1960, in Washington, Elvis and his party board a second private railway car, this time on the 'Tennessean' which leaves for Memphis at 8.05 am.

Elvis remains awake thoughout the night and throughout remainder of the trip though March 7, he appears on the observation platform in his dress blues and waves to the big crowds gathered at every station, big and small, along the route.

Elvis at Roanoke Station 1960 - En route to Memphis

Elvis at Roanoke Station 1960 - En route to Memphis (March 6 or 7?)

Elvis at Roanoke Station 1960 - En route to Memphis

Below, Elvis Presley during the last few miles of the train ride home Monday March 7, 1960.

When Memphis reporters joined the party in Grand Junction at 6:15 A.M. and then at Buntyn Station a little more than an hour later, Elvis was still wearing a (non-issue) dress blue Army uniform he'd had made in Germany (The tailor mistakenly gave him the stripes of a staff sergeant, rather than sergeant which was the rank at which he was discharged) with Good Conduct ribbon and Expert's medal for marksmanship prominently displayed, but by now he had donned one of the two formal lace shirts that Frank Sinatra's nineteen-year-old daughter, Nancy, had presented to him at Fort Dix on behalf of her father. 'If I act nervous, it's because I am', he told Press-Scimitar reporter Bill Burk. 'I've been gone a long time, a long time', he muttered almost to himself, as the train pulled in to the station. What had he missed most about Memphis? he was asked 'Everything. I mean that—everything'.

March 7, 1960, The train arrives in Memphis at 7.45 am in the midst of another snow-storm.

Some 200 fans waited at Union Station in the early morning cold at Memphis's Union Station to welcome Elvis home from his stint in the U.S. Army.

The above photo was used worldwide and it was from this that Colonel Parker's Dutch family recognised him .

Two hundred fans, reporters, and the just plain curious were waiting when the train arrived at 7:45. It was snowing, and there was an icy wind, but the crowd chanted, 'We want Elvis', as they massed behind a six-foot high wrought-iron fence. 'It was nice to have you aboard', said the conductor, H. D. Kennamer, shaking his hand. 'Thank you, sir', said Elvis Presley, squaring his shoulders and plunging back into the life he had once known. He walked along the fence, shaking hands through the bars and recognizing familiar faces. He spoke briefly with various friends and fans, then indicated to the Colonel Parker's brother-in-law and aide, Bitsy Mott, that he wanted to confer with Gary Pepper, a twenty-seven-year-old cerebral palsy victim who had recently taken over the Tankers Fan Club (Elvis had been assigned to a tank corps) and was holding a 'Welcome Home, Elvis, The Tankers' sign above his head. Bitsy wheeled Pepper through the crowd, and they had a brief meeting, with Pepper apologizing that there wasn't a bigger turnout, it was a school day, after all. 'Elvis bit his lip', reported the newspaper, 'seemed to be trying to repulse tears, and said, 'I'll see you later, pal'.

Amongst the crowd was Gary Pepper, head of the Elvis Tankers fan club

Then he was gone, scooped up in his old friend police captain Fred Woodward's squad car, arriving at Graceland less than thirty minutes later with lights flashing and siren screaming.

Elvis rides out to Graceland, in his friend Police Captain Fred Woodward's (Driving) squad car, Bill Burk can be seen in the back seat.

'The Gracland gates swung open', reported the Memphis Press-Scimitar, 'and Woodward's car . . . shot through at nearly 30 miles per hour. Then the gates closed. The king was once again on his throne'.

- Careless Love - The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (New York: Little, Brown & Company, 1999)

Elvis Presley, dressed in civilian clothes, posed with a cake sent by an anonymous fan.

Next Read about Elvis Presley In The U.S. Army 1958-1960

Photos - Elvis with Gladys & Vernon + Army Induction - March 24, 1958
Photos - Elvis Presley In The U.S. Army 1958-1960

Recommended Books

For photos of Elvis in Paris we can highly recommend the book Elvis a Paris.

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

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; 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.