Elvis Leaves Germany 1960

Elvis Aaron Presley served in the United States Army between March 1958 and March 1960. At the time of his draft he was one of the most well-known names in the world of entertainment.

On February 11, 1960, Presley was promoted to sergeant. The army held this 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. 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 who were wondering, but to myself".

Before entering the U.S. Army, Presley had caused national outrage with his sexually charged performances and rock and roll music. Many parents, religious leaders, and teachers groups saw his draft, removing him from public view, as a positive thing. Despite being offered the chance to enlist in Special Services to entertain the troops and live in priority housing, Presley decided to serve as a regular soldier. This earned him the respect of many of his fellow soldiers and people back home who had previously viewed him in a negative light.

During his service Presley's life was affected in several ways. First, his mother, Gladys, died of a heart attack brought on by acute hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. Presley was deeply affected by her death and would never fully recover. Secondly, during his time in West Germany, he would meet his future wife Priscilla Beaulieu. Also, while in West Germany, Presley began to become dependent on stimulants and barbiturates. These drugs, and more importantly the drugs they would lead onto, would eventually contribute to Presley's death at age 42.

After his release from military service, Presley found a new fan base among an older age group, thanks in part to his army career and releases of ballads over rock and roll songs.

Served: 1958–1960
Rank: Sergeant
Unit: 3rd US Armored Division, Company A, 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Division

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