'The Elvis I remember, a model soldier'

                  

                     “A reluctant Elvis fan”  

  I was just reminded that today is Elvis Presley birthday.  In the 50s I was like most men and enjoyed his music, especially “Ode to Mama” I think it was called, but otherwise jealous of the near worship by the girls.

     When I was drafted into the Army I was sent to the 2^nd Armor Div at Fort Hood for basic.  They were a TOE Armor but for the largest military draft in history they were sent stateside and were converted to a basic training unit.

     Elvis was assigned to them in Germany and had not long been gone.  I was in the same battery and the old career soldiers were still talking how he was a soldiers soldier and would not go into special services but wanted to be in a line unit.

     It seems when he went on pass or leave they had to send MPs with him for protection.  They told of one example of him taking care of business.  They went into town on pass and when they got out of the taxi he was gone.  He was spotted running to help a GI who was being beaten by three or four civilians.  By the time they got to him the fight was over.  That Judo master former truck driver had single handed whipped them all.

    They told of his doing for the battalion anything he did for himself.  It was customary to have Saturday inspection and he bought him an extra pair of boots to keep shined and not worn  just for inspection.  Yep, he bought a pair for every soldier in his battalion. 

     He had a juke put in the dining hall and the company kept up the music.  No cost to play.  It was still at Ft. Hood when I was.

     Another thing that impressed me was when he was assigned to mow the companies portion of the parade ground.  Now these were old reel push mowers without power.  He got a friend to go to town and have a new power mower to each of the four companies.

     Needless to say I was a fan after that experience.  It takes a good man to impress all those lifers.