Elvis Gets Drafted Into the War

On Monday, March 24, 1958 at 6:35 AM, Elvis, accompanied by his parents and a group of family and friends, reported to the Memphis Draft Board. From there, he and twelve other recruits were bused to Kennedy Veterans Memorial Hospital. There, Elvis was assigned army serial number 53 310 761. 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. There, he 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 Colonel Tom Parker, received 5,000 pieces of mail sent to Elvis at Fort Chaffee and mail continued to pour in for the famous soldier. On furlough after his basic training, Elvis came home to Memphis and enjoyed some time with family and friends. He managed to squeeze in a quick Nashville recording session, his last session until the spring of 1960 after his discharge from active duty.

On June 14, 1958 he returned to Fort Hood for ten weeks of advanced tank training. His 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.

It was during the next month that Elvis' mother Gladys became seriously ill and had to return to Memphis for treatment. Later, Elvis went home to Memphis on emergency leave to visit his gravely ill mother.

She died on August 14, 1958 at the age of 46.

When he returned to Texas, Elvis was assigned to the Third Armored 'Spearhead' Division, whose motto was 'Victory or Death'. His unit was stationed in Friedberg, Germany. His troop train left Fort Hood for the Brooklyn Army Terminal where, on September 22, 1958, Elvis boarded the U.S.S. Randall and sailed for Germany. Upon arrival he was assigned to the Ray Kaserne barracks. 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. His wealth afforded him the ability to lease housing and to bring his father and grandmother to Germany to stay with him. Friends from back home also spent time there.

Elvis Presley - Receiving the royal escort on his first day in Friedberg, and (further below) sometime later, a more seasoned Elvis strikes a pose in front of 1st Bn, 32nd Armor sign at Ray Barracks.