Archives To Open Sealed Military Documents
When Elvis Presley entered the Army, a fretful public launched a letter-writing
campaign. "Will you please, please be so sweet and kind as to ask Ike to bring
Elvis Presley back to us from the Army? We need him in our entertainment world,"
pleaded one 1958 letter from a Sacramento, Calif., couple to then-first lady
Mamie Eisenhower.
Copies of military records of Elvis Presley, Steven
McQueen and novelist John "Jack" Kerouac, a few of the 1.2 million documents
that will be made public, are seen at the National Personnel Records Center,
Wednesday, June 8, 2005, in Overland, Mo. The National Archives will be opening
1.2 million military records, including records for John Kennedy, Presley, and
Jackie Robinson, to the public for the first time Saturday, June 11.
The
anxious missive is among documents included in the 1.2 million military
personnel files the National Archives will open to the public Saturday for the
first time.
Among the documents are records related to famous
politicians, military leaders _ and at least one rock 'n' roll star. The bulk,
however, relate to former enlisted personnel in the Navy from 1885 to 1939, or
in the Marines from 1906 to 1939.
Elvis' time in the military sparked
high interest. Parents of enlisted men wrote letters, too, worried the star
would get preferential treatment or early release.
"I am sure us poor
people can do without his singing and rock and roll until he serves his country
just like my son has to," an Oak Park, Ill., mother wrote to a congressman.
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.
The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
