While Elvis Was in the Army, Loss and Love Transformed His Life

Getty Images

Key Takeaways:

Elvis Presley served in the U.S. Army for two years during his early 20s. During this stint, the musician’s personal life was upended by loss and love.

The King was devastated by the sudden and untimely death of his mother, Gladys Presley, in August 1958.

The next fall, Elvis met the woman who he would later marry, Priscilla Beaulieu.

Elvis Presley was at the height of his fame when the 22-year-old was called to report for duty in the U.S. Army. The music superstar served for two years from March 1958 to March 1960, and for much of that time, he was stationed in Germany. By January 1960, he’d even been promoted to sergeant.

While he was in the Army, Presley’s career hummed along thanks, in part, to the release of his lauded movie King Creole in July 195