Elvis Joins the ARMY

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, RP, GERMANY

09.25.2020

Photo by Senior Airman Kevin Long 

AFN Spangdahlem

On March 24th, 1958, a day dubbed “black Monday” by many music fans, the King of Rock & Roll became a lowly buck private, putting his fame on hold to serve his country. Elvis Aron Presley was drafted into military service in Memphis, Tennessee after a 2-month deferment to finish filming his latest movie “King Creole”. Due to his celebrity status, Presley was offered numerous special positions. The Navy offered to create a special Elvis Presley Company made up of his closest friends from Memphis. The Army offered him the chance to tour the world visiting army bases to boost morale among soldiers and use him in their recruitment efforts. Presley politely declined all offers of Special Services, choosing instead to join as a regular soldier in the Army, earning him the respect of his fellow soldiers, as well as critics who previously viewed him in a negative light.
Presley spent most of his early military career training at Fort Hood, Texas where he was later assigned to Company A of the Third Armored Division’s 1st Medium Tank Battalion. On September 22nd, 1958, he was shipped out to Friedberg, West Germany where he was assigned to Company D of the Third Armored Division’s 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor as a jeep driver. He would spend the rest of his service overseas. On March 5th, 1960, Presley was honorably discharged from active duty with the rank of sergeant. At a press conference, he said, “People were expecting me to mess up, 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 wondering, but to myself.”

• Date Taken: 09.25.2020
• Date Posted: 09.25.2020 06:42
• Photo ID: 6366192
• VIRIN: 200925-F-GK113-006
• Resolution: 1350x1080
• Size: 1.51 MB
• Location: SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, RP, DE