Elvis in the U.S. Army (1958)
On March 24, 1958, Elvis Presley was inducted into the U.S. Army — a day of “infamy” for his teenage fans. It was a year of enormous change for him: he was away from home for the first time, stationed in a foreign land, and suffered the heartbreaking loss of his beloved mother Gladys in August of that year.
Click below to hear “I Got Stung,” released in 1959 while Elvis was serving in the Army.
Despite the emotional challenges, Elvis did his duty like any other soldier. Until March of 1960, he was known simply as soldier #55310761. Below are some photos from his time in the Army, including training in Grafenwöhr, Germany.
Elvis completed his basic training at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas — just a couple of hours southwest of Fort Worth. Even while serving, his music continued to reach fans around the world.
Don’t you believe that she will be true?”