Just as his star was on the steady rise, Elvis answered the call of duty to serve his country in the Army, leaving his adoring fans on Monday, March 24, 1958 to report to the draft board. The very next day he was assigned to the Second Armored Division (General Patton’s “Hell on Wheels” outfit) stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. He then set sail for his assigned duty in Germany, where this celebrity was treated much like any other enlisted man. During his service, Colonel Parker worked vigorously to keep Elvis in the forefront of every young fan’s mind and was successful in his endeavor. In 1960, Private Presley was honorably discharged, thereby completing his civil service in the Armed Forces and garnering a level of respect that would accompany him throughout his career. After spending a year and a half in Europe, when Elvis finally returned to the US, he gave a press conference in Fort Dix, New Jersey. He arrived there on March 3, 1960 on a snowy day with hundreds of fans and media waiting to see him again. The press conference was widely covered, with Nancy Sinatra there before the cameras to greet Elvis. He was asked a bevy of questions and in his good-natured, humorous way he responded to every last one. Offered is a 35 mm contact sheet from The Globe that includes 34 images of Elvis taken during this press conference. The contact sheet measures 10 by 8 inches (25.4 x 20.32 cm) and is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Graceland Authenticated.

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