Elvis Presley Joins the Army

Elvis Presley joined the army on this day in 1958. He served from March 1958 until March 1960. He was given the offer of enlisting in special services to entertain the troops, where he would have lived in better housing. However, Presley made the decision to serve as a regular soldier and live in the barracks. This earned him the respect of many of his fellow soldiers, as well as the some of the people back home who hadn't looked on him kindly before.

Elvis & parents on the day he joined

Presley didn't mind serving, but he had some troubles hit him during the time. The main one was when his mother, Gladys, died of a heart attack brought on by acute hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. This hit Elvis hard, because he and his mother were close. He also may have developed a dependency on barbiturates and stimulants around this time. These would later contribute to his early death at the age of forty-two.

It was also while he was serving in West Germany that he met his future wife, Priscilla Beauilieu. After being released from the army, Presley found a broader fan-base with more age groups, especially after he started adding ballads to his repertoire. His gospel songs brought in others. Despite these added categories, however, he has remained "The King of Rock 'N Roll."

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