What was the extent Elvis Presley's military career?

Answer 1

Elvis received his draft notice during the 3rd week of December 1957 and it was hand delivered to his home in Memphis Tennessee.

Elvis, unlike most celebrities, opted to not seek special treatment, was inducted into the US Army and served from 1958 until 1960 whereby he received an honorable discharge.

Most people don't know that after Elvis' discharge that he still had "active duty" obligations. Due to Elvis being the sole breadwinner for his household of 3 other adults (i.e. his beloved mother Gladys Love (Smith) Presley, his father Vernon Elvis Presley, and Minnie Mae Presley Vernon's mother and Elvis' grandmother). Elvis successfully completed his active duty obligations by the end of 1960 which is saying something because Elvis was discharged in early 1960.

There was a "funny now" but not at the time serious mistake that Elvis was involved with. Elvis was driving a Jeep for an officer as they had been on night time maneuvers at the Russian border. Well, somehow they got lost and actually ended up in Russia. Now, the Russian government had publicly criticized Elvis Presley personally and said "Elvis was Americas tool to increase juvenile delinquency and to attract undesirables".

Within 20 minutes they had backtracked, in freezing cold, and Elvis ended up being deathly sick. He was hospitalized and the doctors made a mistake in prescribing penicillin and Elvis had adverse allergic reactions to penicillin that could have ended his life. Elvis stayed in the hospital for almost 11 days.

The officer who was with Elvis in the Jeep came to see Elvis at the hospital and told him that the markings on their maps were incorrect. Thus Elvis did nothing wrong. The officer was also pleased with the fact that Elvis was clear, cool, and steadfast when faced with this dilemma. That border with Russia was enforced with heavily armed Russia military personnel and anything could have happened.