In the 1950s, many young Americans—including well-known figures in sports and entertainment—were drafted into military service. Elvis Presley was among those inducted into the U.S. Army, serving in West Germany, where he completed his duty honorably. After leaving active service, he continued to show strong support for the military.
One notable example was his involvement in fundraising efforts for the memorial honoring the USS Arizona (BB-39), which was destroyed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Presley helped raise awareness and funds through a benefit concert, contributing to the eventual construction of the memorial that stands today as a tribute to those who lost their lives.
The USS Arizona was destroyed during the attack on Pearl Harbor
The USS Arizona was built from 1914-15 and named for Arizona’s admission into the United States. The “super-dreadnought” wasn’t utilized during the First World War, but became an important ship in the US Navy’s fleet. She was one of the vessels used to ferry President Woodrow Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference.
In April 1940, Arizona and the rest of the Pacific Fleet were moved to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to serve as a deterrent to Japanese imperialism. On the morning of December 7, 1941, the ship was anchored off the coast of Ford Island when she was struck by a 1,760-pound projectile, which caused her fuel and munitions to ignite, subsequently causing an explosion. The attack resulted in the death of 1,177 crew members, and Arizona sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
In the late 1950s, a fund was taken up to build a memorial to Arizona and her crew. However, the drive was unsuccessful and only raised around a quarter of the money needed.
Elvis Presley’s time in the US Army
At the same time efforts were being made to build a memorial for the USS Arizona, Elvis Presley was the biggest star in the world. In March 1958, he was drafted into the US Army as a private at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas and sent to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training. He was deployed to West Germany, where he asked to be treated like any other soldier, and rose to the rank of sergeant by the time he was discharged.
There was a worry that his time in the Army could hurt Presley’s career, as the public moved on to other musical acts. Despite this, the singer didn’t perform while he was serving, at the behest of manager Tom Parker, who convinced him of the importance of not seeming different than those he served with.
Elvis Presley needed to be reintroduced to the American public
Elvis Presley completed his Army service in March 1960. Although he had already reached extraordinary fame before his induction, his two-year absence from performing created a noticeable pause in his career. Looking for a meaningful way to reconnect with the public, Presley and his management chose to support the USS Arizona Memorial, combining patriotism with a charitable cause.
His team reached out to the Pacific War Memorial Commission, which had been struggling to raise enough funding, and the proposal was warmly received. Presley then organized a benefit concert at Bloch Arena, donating all proceeds to the memorial project. With additional support from others involved in the campaign, the effort helped move the project significantly closer to completion.
The concert was a roaring success
Elvis Presley wasn’t the only star performing in Hawaii—he was joined by familiar faces such as Minnie Pearl and The Jordanaires. Although tickets were pricey, Presley, known for his generosity, ensured that all patients at the local military hospital could attend for free. He also agreed to star in Blue Hawaii (1961), a film that became a major hit and helped boost tourism to the islands.
The concert proved a tremendous success, raising $54,000 for the USS Arizona Memorial Fund, supplemented by Presley’s own contributions. Perhaps even more importantly, it drew widespread attention to the cause, inspiring continued donations in the weeks afterward.
The USS Arizona Memorial becomes a reality
Thanks in large part to Elvis Presley’s fundraising efforts, the memorial for the USS Arizona became a reality. By the end of 1960, the Pacific War Memorial Commission had the money it needed to properly work on the project, and by the end of May 1962, it was complete.
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Today the USS Arizona Memorial sits over the site where the original vessel sank. Arizona‘s reputation still looms large, as every two years the Chief of Naval Operations awards the USS Arizona Memorial Trophy to the most battle-ready ship.