By Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
December 24, 2014

This week we take a break from historic cards and offer up a jewel for the Elvis Presley fans among us.

This postcard shows a uniformed Elvis Presley and a bearded, “Santa-fied” Col. Tom Parker, wishing all the Elvis fans “Holiday Greetings.” The back of the card carries a copy of the Western Union telegram to the Colonel, from Presley in Germany.

The message reads: “Dear fans: Many of you ask for a new record. So that my career would not interfere with my Army duty, I did not record in Germany. I will do my best to have a new record as soon as I return. Thanks to all of you, also the disc jockeys, record dealers, distributors and RCA Victor for making this message possible. Sincerely, Your pal, Elvis Presley. 850AMC Nov 6.”

Presley entered the Army on March 24, 1958, and spent three days at the Fort Chaffee, Ark., reception station. While on active duty, he served in two different armored battalions. From March 28, 1958, through September of 1958, Presley served with Company A, 2nd Medium Tank Battalion, 37th Armor, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. While in Germany, Presley served in the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor. In the postcard he’s shown wearing the insignia of the 3rd Armor Division.

Presley was discharged form Active Duty in 1960 and served in the Reserves until March of 1964.