7th March 1960, Monday

[Graeme]

Day number 9191Site Date Map

Yesterday << 7th March 1960, Monday >> Tomorrow

[silverwings]

Elvis during the last few miles of the train ride home, Monday, March 7.

When Memphis reporters joined the party in Grand Junction at 6:15 A.M. and then at Buntyn Station a little more than an hour later, Elvis was still wearing a (non-issue) dress blue Army uniform he'd had made in Germany (The tailor mistakenly gave him the stripes of a staff sergeant, rather than sergeant which was the rank at which he was discharged) with Good Conduct ribbon and Expert's medal for marksmanship prominently displayed, but by now he had donned one of the two formal lace shirts that Frank Sinatra's nineteen-year-old daughter, Nancy, had presented to him at Fort Dix on behalf of her father.

'If I act nervous, it's because I am', he told Press-Scimitar reporter Bill Burk.

'I've been gone a long time, a long time', he muttered almost to himself, as the train pulled in to the station. What had he missed most about Memphis? he was asked 'Everything. I mean that—everything'.

[silverwings]

The above photo was used worldwide and it was from this that Colonel Parker's Dutch family recognised him .

Amongst the crowd was Gary Pepper, head of the Elvis Tankers fan club.

Elvis rides out to Graceland, in his friend Police Captain Fred Woodward's (Driving) squad car

Elvis rides out to Graceland, in his friend Police Captain Fred Woodward's (Driving) squad car, Bill Burk can be seen in the back seat.

The train arrives in Memphis at 7.45 am in the midst of another snow-storm.
Some 200 fans waited at Union Station in the early morning cold at Memphis's Union Station to welcome Elvis home from his stint in the U.S. Army.
It was snowing, and there was an icy wind, but the crowd chanted, 'We want Elvis', as they massed behind a six-foot high wrought-iron fence. 'It was nice to have you aboard', said the conductor, H. D. Kennamer, shaking his hand. 'Thank you, sir', said Elvis Presley, squaring his shoulders and plunging back into the life he had once known. He walked along the fence, shaking hands through the bars and recognizing familiar faces.
Elvis spoke briefly with various friends and fans, then indicated to the Colonel Parker's brother-in-law and aide, Bitsy Mott, that he wanted to confer with Gary Pepper, a twenty-seven-year-old cerebral palsy victim who had recently taken over the Tankers Fan Club (Elvis had been assigned to a tank corps) and was holding a 'Welcome Home, Elvis, The Tankers' sign above his head. Bitsy wheeled Pepper through the crowd, and they had a brief meeting, with Pepper apologizing that there wasn't a bigger turnout, it was a school day, after all. 'Elvis bit his lip', reported the newspaper, 'seemed to be trying to repulse tears, and said, 'I'll see you later, pal'. Then he was gone, scooped up in his old friend police captain Fred Woodward's squad car, arriving at Graceland less than thirty minutes later with lights flashing and siren screaming.
'The Gracland gates swung open', reported the Memphis Press-Scimitar, 'and Woodward's car . . . shot through at nearly 30 miles per hour. Then the gates closed. The king was once again on his throne'.

[silverwings]

Graceland

Press conference, Graceland

[silverwings]

[silverwings]