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What was Elvis Presley's highest rank in the army?
While Elvis Presley was the King, he was also a sergeant. Elvis's stint in the U.S. Army began 60 years ago this week. His service didn't last long, but it forever changed him.
What was Elvis rank when he left the army?
sergeantSome 200 fans waited at Union Station to welcome Elvis Presley home from his stint in the U.S. Army Monday March 7, 1960. He was wearing a (non-issue) dress blue Army uniform made in Germany. Elvis was discharged at the rank of sergeant, but the tailor had mistakenly given him the stripes of staff sergeant.
What did Elvis do in the army?
Presley served as a member of two different armor battalions. Between March 28 and September 17, 1958, he belonged to Company A, 2d Medium Tank Battalion, 37th Armor, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. During this assignment he completed basic and advanced military training.
What rank did Elvis get to in the Army?
SergeantThis same addiction caused his death at the age of 42 in 1977....This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia.Elvis PresleyAllegianceUnited StatesService/branchUnited States ArmyYears of service1957–1960RankSergeant7 more rows
What platoon was Elvis?
He served in Company C, a scout platoon. After a news conference he was declared 'off limits' to the press (at least for a while). In Germany, Elvis served as any other soldier. However, as in Texas, he chose to take the option of living off base.
Was Elvis a good soldier?
Elvis Presley. When he was discharged two years later, Elvis left with sergeant stripes and was considered a remarkably good soldier, according to retired Army Lt. Col. Richard Powell, the former base historian at Fort Hood.
Was Elvis drafted or enlisted?
On December 20, 1957, while spending the Christmas holidays at Graceland, his newly purchased Tennessee mansion, rock-and-roll star Elvis Presley receives his draft notice for the United States Army.
What war was Elvis drafted for?
The Korean WarWhen Elvis Presley turned 18 on January 8, 1953, he fulfilled his patriotic duty and legal obligation to register his name with the Selective Service System, thereby making himself eligible for the draft. The Korean War was still underway at the time, but as a student in good standing at L.C.
What division did Elvis serve in?
3rd Armored DivisionA Basic Summary Of Elvis Presley's Army Career Total time on active Army duty: 2 years, 3/24/58 - 3/5/60. In Germany Elvis Presley was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, Ray Barracks, Friedberg. Elvis served with the Division from October 1, 1958 to March 1, 1960.
Was there a draft in 1957?
The generation that came of age in the 1950s and 1960s had never known a time when there was no draft. However, the draft that lasted from World War II through the Vietnam War was not in the basic American tradition of military service.
Where was Elvis Presley stationed in Germany?
FriedbergPresley had a strong connection with Friedberg, a town of around 28,000 inhabitants, located 26 kilometers (16 miles) north of Frankfurt in the state of Hesse. He was stationed there from October 1958 until March 1960 while serving as a soldier in the US Army. He lived in nearby Bad Nauheim.
What was Elvis height?
6′ 0″Elvis Presley / Height
Pre-induction
In January 1956, Presley turned twenty-one years old. Like most men of that age, he was now eligible to be drafted. Colonel Tom Parker, Presley's manager, was well aware of his client's draft status and how it could affect his career.
Army life
Presley reported for his induction on March 24, 1958, a day dubbed "black Monday" for his fans by the press. Presley was given a physical and assigned Army Serial Number: 53310761, before being sworn in and made leader of his group.
Life in Germany
After training at Fort Hood, Elvis was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany. He left Fort Hood on September 19, headed for Brooklyn Army Terminal in New York where he and his division would ship out to Germany on September 22.
Discharge
On February 11, 1960 Presley received his Sergeant stripes. The army held a press conference on March 1 before Presley departed from Germany. Presley was asked about his decision to serve as a regular soldier instead of as part of the service club. He said, "I was in a funny position. Actually, that's the only way it could be.
Pre-induction
On January 8, 1956, Presley turned twenty-one years old. Like most American men of that age, he was now eligible to be drafted. Colonel Tom Parker, Presley's manager, was well aware of his client's draft status and how it could affect his career.
Army life
Two weeks after finishing King Creole, Presley reported for his induction on March 24, 1958, a day dubbed "black Monday" for his fans by the press. Presley was given a physical and assigned army serial number 53310761, before being sworn in and made leader of his group.
Life in Germany
After training at Fort Hood, Presley was assigned to the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor, 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, West Germany. He left Fort Hood on September 19, headed for Brooklyn Army Terminal in New York where he and his division would ship out to West Germany on September 22.
Discharge
On January 20, 1960, Presley was promoted to sergeant. The army held a press conference on March 1 before Presley departed from West Germany. Presley was asked about his decision to serve as a regular soldier instead of as part of the service club. He said, "I was in a funny position. Actually, that's the only way it could be.
Award
Upon completion of his active duty service, Presley was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal. He also qualified as an expert marksman with several weapons.
Bibliography
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Elvis Presley in Germany.
Where was Elvis sent mail?
Pieces of mail sent to Private Elvis Presley at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas during the few days he was stationed there. It has not been reported how many letters Elvis received at Fort Hood, Texas, where he did his basic training.
How old was Elvis when his mother died?
Sympathy cards and letters Elvis received after his mother’s death on August 14, 1958. Gladys Love Presley was 46 years old. Elvis had arrived to Memphis from Fort Hood two days earlier to be by her side.
When did Elvis enter the army?
But Elvis wanted no special treatment and was inducted into the U.S. Army on March 24th, 1958 and stationed at Fort Hood, TX. Almost immediately, mail started to pour in; over 5,000 letters in the first week.
When did Elvis get promoted to sergeant?
Still others took issue when, in 1960, Elvis was promoted to sergeant. Many felt that he “bought” his rank or received it out of favoritism.
When did Elvis get drafted?
Like most young men his age, Elvis registered with the Selective Service in January of 1953. When he was finally drafted in 1957, he was already an international superstar and legions of fans were dismayed, to say the least.
When did Elvis get his physical fitness test results?
On June 16,1992, Mr. Larry Smith requested the results of Elvis’s various aptitude tests, physical fitness test and other records from the U.S. Army Personnel Command. Little did he know what a long, arduous journey he was about to embark upon.
Can the military find Elvis' service records?
If the military couldn’t locate Elvis Presley’s service records, there’s a fair chance they’ll have trouble finding yours, too. Let’s face it, dealing with governmental bureaucracy is tough. And most people don’t have the tenacity, much less the time, to do what Mr. Smith did.
Did Smith receive all of his records?
Five years later, in 1997, after roughly 15 more complaint letters to several agencies and a threat to seek civil damages, Mr. Smith did receive some (not all) of the records he’d requested.
Was Elvis due for Christmas?
Not all letters to the Army during that time were pro-Elvis and many of those stemmed from a nationally syndicated newspaper item by gossip columnist Dorothy Kilgallen stating that Elvis would be due for an early Christmas release due to “good behavior.”
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