Nancy Sinatra gift to Elvis (updated) plus Army files

[davide]

de

[E-Cat]

PHOTO BY CHARLES NICHOLAS/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL ...the tailor had mistakenly given him the stripes of staff sergeant.

No mistake - that was on purpose.
In Roanoke he wore his normal uniform with sergeant stripes.
Approaching Memphis he had changed his uniform

Below some rare (cropped) photo's of Elvis with his staff sergeant stripes before his official disharge.



btw: he wore the same uniform (with SP4 insignia) in Paris '60

[JamesVRoy]

PHOTO BY CHARLES NICHOLAS/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL ...the tailor had mistakenly given him the stripes of staff sergeant.

No mistake - that was on purpose.
In Roanoke he wore his normal uniform with sergeant stripes.
Approaching Memphis he had changed his uniform

Below some rare (cropped) photo's of Elvis with his staff sergeant stripes before his official disharge.



btw: he wore the same uniform (with SP4 insignia) in Paris '60

Wait a minute, there's something fishy here. You're saying he made it to the rank of E-6 in two years, and in only two months after being promoted to E-5 in January? And then on duty, he regularly wore the insignia of a lower grade, like for the press conference?

As of today anyway, you have to have at least 11 months at that rank to be eligible for promotion and also have at least 3 months active left to serve. I'm having a hard time believing he made that rank at all.

Here's a DD-214 that says he was an E-5 (buck seargent) at time of discharge
http://www.3ad.com/history/at.ease/elvis.section/photo.pages/dd.214.b.htm

This, I believe is that fatigue jacket in those pictures with the proper insignia

[E-Cat]

Before Elvis was promoted to Sgt, he was Acting Sgt. End Feb Elvis was Acting Staff Sgt (see photos) but (obviously) was never promoted, so Elvis official rank at discharge was E-5 indeed.

[JamesVRoy]

Before Elvis was promoted to Sgt, he was Acting Sgt. End Feb Elvis was Acting Staff Sgt (see photos) but (obviously) was never promoted, so Elvis official rank at discharge was E-5 indeed.

So then when you said "No mistake - that was on purpose" you mean that the tailor mistakenly gave him the wrong rank on purpose, or based on misinterpreted information, and not that the non regulation uniform he wore on the train bore his correct or proper rank? Or was the uniform intended to bear "acting" insignia?

Also, just curious, but where was it written about the "acting staff sergeant" info.? Guralnick in Careless Love only listed the "acting sergeant" story

[E-Cat]

I think Elvis wore this insignia just to look good for the media. Since the press would concentrate on his arrival in Memphis, he changed his uniform before arriving to Memphis - probably all part of Colonel's plan.

[E-Cat]

I did not read your additional remarks at the time I posted my reply above

Also, just curious, but where was it written about the "acting staff sergeant" info.?

Since I found out that much that was wrttten about the Army days is not correct or complete (even EJ's book contains errors) I started to verify every single word that was wriiten about the Army days. I spent thousands of hours researching the Army days, went through archives, interviewed many people (incl army buddies), dated ca 3500 Army photo's, spent 6 months in Germany (even at Goethestr.) and found much new info & many new photo's, both from Germany and US.

When I found ca 6 different photo's of Elvis with E-6 insignia, they were all taken before he was discharged. One of the soldiers who took the photo stated that he was temporary acting staff sgt - based on his excellent leadership while on manoevres in Graf. In addition, the photo's I posted above where he can be seen wearing this insignia are no fake photo's!

Guralnick in Careless Love only listed the "acting sergeant" story

Guralnick's work does not cover the Army days into detail - for example : the days at Fort Dix are not even mentioned.

[E-Cat]

taken not too long after / before:
(Elvis had not arrived yet)

[E-Cat]

and another one of Nancy waiting for Elvis to arrive at the Press Conf.

[Elton]

I think Elvis wore this insignia just to look good for the media. Since the press would concentrate on his arrival in Memphis, he changed his uniform before arriving to Memphis - probably all part of Colonel's plan.

That is what i have understood as well E-Cat.
....That Parker had a hand in the Staff-stripes,and had said "They show up better for the pictures" ...for what its worth!

[davide]

Film footage http://www.itnsource.com/compilations/people/celebrity/?lr=S31050701 CLIP 20

Arrival at Fort Dix USA: New Jersey: Fort Dix/McGuire Air Force Base: EXT Elvis Presley off plane in heavy snow and posing for photographs Presley waving Teenage girls shivering in the snow waiting for Elvis


All Photo's by Al Fenn
Life Archives

(1-4)

Before Elvis's arrival, Colonel Parker briefs the press,and stands for a photo below. The above Photo's have been taken from the ladder shown.


(5)Tom Diskin (left)unknown (centre) Colonel Parker (right)

(7-9)


(10)


(11-13)


(14-16)




(20-21)


(22-24)


(24a)



Davide

[pjdlibra]

nice thread great info

[davide]

LIFE Archives



Photo Al Fenn (1)


Photo Al Fenn (2)


Photo Al Fenn (3)


Photo Al Fenn (4)


Photo Al Fenn (5) : Nancy with a letter,maybe from her father Frank Sinatra


Photographer unknown (6)


Photographer unknown (7)

Davide

[E-Cat]

To put the arrival photo's in correct chronical order, i'd like to add that the photo's with the fans (standing outside)
staring through the window are not taken on arrival, but during the actual press conference (just after Elvis held up his
army certifcate). They were ordered to calm down, (not seen in itn footage)

from (other) footage / press conf:

Before Elvis's arrival, Colonel Parker briefs the press,and stands for a photo

The other person in the photo (L) with Parker looks like Tom Diskin.
Diskin as well as Sholes, Fike, Bienstock & Aberbach were all present

note: since the plane made 2 stops before landing at McGuire AFB (7.40 EST), there was very few time to sleep.
Nevertheless, Elvis looked remarkably fit.

[davide]

To put the arrival photo's in correct chronical order, i'd like to add that the photo's with the fans (standing outside)
staring through the window are not taken on arrival, but during the actual press conference (just after Elvis held up his
army certifcate). They were ordered to calm down, (not seen in itn footage)

from (other) footage / press conf:

Before Elvis's arrival, Colonel Parker briefs the press,and stands for a photo

The other person in the photo (L) with Parker looks like Tom Diskin.
Diskin as well as Sholes, Fike, Bienstock & Aberbach were all present

note: since the plane made 2 stops before landing at McGuire AFB (7.40 EST), there was very few time to sleep.
Nevertheless, Elvis looked remarkably fit.

I'll try and put the images in the correct order as soon as possible.



Photographs by Al Fenn
Life Archives
(1)

(2)
Tom Diskin,Colonel Tom Parker and Lamer Fike await Elvis's arrival.

(3)

(4)
Colonel Parker in conversation with Lamar Fike.



(5)


(6)


(7)


(8)


(9)


(10)


(11)


(12)

Elvis With Tina Louise
Tina Louise, actress and future star of Gilligan's Island, interviews Elvis Presley upon his return from his 1959-60 Army tour of duty in Germany.
At the press conference that followed, actress Tina Louise, speaking for Mutual radio, askedElvis if he was still going to use suggestive movements. Elvis mumbled a replywhich implied there would be a little change in his act. He contended that hismovements were "natural.” Elvis told another reporter that there wouldn’t be a switch to “a more adult type of singing.” His sideburns won’t return, but he’ll wear his hair slightly longer

(13)

David Bittan’s Variety March 9, 1960.
“Sergeant Elvis Presley was mustered out of the Army in a production worthy of one of the nine films he is scheduled to make in the next three years. ,Elvis looked tired but fit.”
“Among those present were actress Tina Louise, representing the Mutual radio network, and Nancy Sinatra, appearing on behalf of her father.” Of course, Colonel Parker was right in the middle of it all, as well, throwing out some big numbers, some no doubt exaggerated, concerning Elvis. He claimed Elvis had earned $1.6 million in record royalties while in the service. Parker announced that now that Elvis was out of the army, he would earn $850,000 from films and TV in 1960, including $125,000 for appearing on Sinatra’s May 12 TV special.

Reporters ran for the telephones as they would at a Presidential press conference. Thirty phone booths had been set up for writers to call in their stories. Using one of the phones was Tina Louise, telephoning Mutual’s Washington newsroom with a dispatch written for her by a newsman, who just happened to be present.”

Billboard written by Ben Grevatt, May 7, 1960,

Conditions hardly could have been worse. Despite a snow storm which quickly reached blizzard proportions, a great bevy of newspaper, magazine, TV, radio and newsreel people braved treacherous highway conditions to reach the post. which included red-headed, voluptuous actress Tina Louise.”

“Meanwhile, outside the window of the auditorium,there was a gathering furor of another kind. This was a small army of teen-age fans who squealed and pounded on the windows till an orderly was sent to quiet them down. They did not quiet down, however.”

"It was learned that on the way back to New York,Miss Louise and her companions got stuck in a snowdrift on the New Jersey Turnpike.”
Taken from Alan Hanson's Blog


(14)


Davide

[Terry]

[davide]

Thanks Terry




(1)


(2-3)


(4)
"You lookin for trouble?"

[drjohncarpenter]

Nancy Sinatra was 19 years old then -- still a brunette, she was so cute!

Tina Louise was 26 and four years away from her iconic role as "Ginger Grant" on CBS-TV's "Gilligan's Island."

Both ladies are still with us today, too.

David, reading one of your posts is like opening a Christmas gift, any time of the year -- thanks, as always.

[Terry]

Davide,how many photograph " LIFE " exist?

[davide]

(1)


(2)


(3)


(4)


(5)


(6)


(7)


(8)


(9)


(10)

(11)


(12)


(13)

[/url
(14)


(14A)

Note the placement of the microphone.
(14B)


(15-16)


(17-18)


(19-20)


(21-22)


(23)


(24-25)




(26)


(27-28)


(29)


(30)


(31)


(32)



(34)


(35)


(36)


(37)


(38) What's going on with Lamar and the MP's in this photo? Steve Sholes can be seen to the right Of Mr Fike.


(39) Elvis has left the building.
Davide

[E-Cat]

how many photograph " LIFE " exist?

I assume you refer to the LIFE photo's recently being posted on this MB:

LIFE sent 1 photographer to Grafenwöhr,1 photographer to Germany
to cover his last days in Germany (Feb 25 - March 2) and LIFE sent 2
photographers to Fort Dix to make photo's from his return (March 3-5)

LIFE took in total ca 450 photo's from these events (few used for original
publication and many rejected photo's being kept off-line for many yrs).
Ofcourse more photo's exist taken by other photographers.

[davide]

Thanks for the info regarding Life photographers E-Cat - I have found about 210 photo's from the Life archives so far,although they don't all feature Elvis of course.


Photo by Al Fenn
This image could have been great as the cover for 'Elvis Is Back!'

Here is a film clip with very British take on Elvis arrival back in the US :

ELVIS QUITS U.S. ARMY 1960 http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=41324


back soon with some more
Davide

[E-Cat]

how many photograph " LIFE " exist?

I assume you refer to the LIFE photo's recently being posted on this MB:

LIFE sent 1 photographer to Grafenwöhr,1 photographer to Germany
to cover his last days in Germany (Feb 25 - March 2) and LIFE sent 2
photographers to Fort Dix to make photo's from his return (March 3-5)

LIFE took in total ca 450 photo's from these events (few used for original
publication and many rejected photo's being kept off-line for many yrs).
Ofcourse more photo's exist taken by other photographers.

Thanks for the info regarding Life photographers E-Cat - I have found about 210 photo's from the Life archives so far,
although they don't all feature Elvis of course.

You are welcome David. Yes you are right, a small part - however less than 10 % (excl. the fans shots from
March 3) - do not feature Elvis and / or Priscilla.

David, the picture you posted - from the first part of the clip - is not from his arrival in the US, but from his departure at
Rhein-Main Air Base in Frankfurt, just before boarding the plane (USAF C-54 ?) which departed 5.20 p.m. local time, March 2.

Btw: would it be possible to number the photo's in future, this would make it more easy to comment on a specific
photo or help putting them in the right sequence.

As always - great topic, thanks again!

[davide]

I have numbered the photo's as suggested, and yes the image of Elvis boarding the plane was just a reference to the clip as a whole.

Davide

[Terry]

how many photograph " LIFE " exist?

I assume you refer to the LIFE photo's recently being posted on this MB:

LIFE sent 1 photographer to Grafenwöhr,1 photographer to Germany
to cover his last days in Germany (Feb 25 - March 2) and LIFE sent 2
photographers to Fort Dix to make photo's from his return (March 3-5)

LIFE took in total ca 450 photo's from these events (few used for original
publication and many rejected photo's being kept off-line for many yrs).
Ofcourse more photo's exist taken by other photographers.

Oups ! Incredible..

Thnx