Elvis Presley Helped Get The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor Built

During the 1950s, Americans of a specific age were eligable to being drafted into the US military. Famous athletes and actors frequently served, as did musicians like Elvis Presley, who was drafted into the US Army and stationed in West Germany. He served with distinction and continued to support the military after his discharge. One notable example of his support involved the memorial for the USS Arizona (BB-39), which was hit during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

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

The King of Rock and Roll was formally discharged from the Army in March 1960. He'd enjoyed meteoric success prior to being drafted, but had spent 24 months not performing. Presley and his managers decided that helping out with the USS Arizona Memorial campaign would return him to the public eye in a charitable and patriotic way.

Presley's management team reached out to the Pacific War Memorial Commission, offering their help. The commission, which had been struggling to raise money, was thrilled. Presley planned a concert at Hawaii's Bloch Arena, from which all proceeds would go toward the memorial. He wouldn't, however, be coming alone.

The concert was a roaring success

Elvis Presley didn't take the stage in Hawaii by himself—he was accompanied by some friends. Joining him was Minnie Pearl and The Jordanaires. While tickets to the show were pricey, Presley, known for his generosity, had a solution. He covered the costs for all the patients at the local military hospital. He also agreed to star in the film Blue Hawaii (1961), which became a massive hit and boosted both interest and tourism in the stunning state.

The concert was a tremendous success, raising $54,000 for the USS Arizona Memorial fund, in addition to Presley's own contributions. More importantly, it drew attention to the cause, resulting in continued donations in the weeks that followed.

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.