Between 1958 and 1960, Elvis Presley, the famous Rock and roll musician, served in the American Army. Many community members welcomed the draft as they considered his music a desecration, eroding the moral fabric that held society together.

Fun Facts:

• Elvis Presley had the opportunity to enlist in Special Services and serve as entertainment for the troops. This role would also allow him to live in priority housing. However, his manager advised him to serve as a regular soldier and return home as a hero.
• For many people, the decision to enroll as a regular soldier shed a more positive light on his otherwise unaccepted music, which put him in a negative light.
• While at war, he met his first wife, Priscilla Beaulieu, after losing his mother. He also developed an addiction to barbiturates, eventually destroying his first marriage and killing him at 42.
• Elvis Presley returned to the United States on March 2, 1960, after an honorable discharge from service. He was ranked sergeant.
• In 1977, Elvis Presley breathed his last after a struggle with poor health and a few stints at the hospital. Like the trooper he was, Presley performed until his body gave in. He was 42 years old.