June 29, 2018 Happy Friday! I hope everyone will be able to enjoy a little break from work this weekend, and for those whose work-breaks are at a different time, I hope a little rest & relaxation is coming soon for you as well. But no matter when that break arrives, I hope it will deliver a nice, “Welcome Home!” for you. Fittingly, “Welcome Home” is at the center of today’s Victory & Valor Blog. A loyal follower of our Mistletoetom Facebook page recently sent a note that inspired this installment. “L.S.” suggested a story about a particular “Welcome Home” from many years ago that might interest me, and after checking it out, I agree and think it will interest the wider audience of followers as well. Thanks for the tip, “L.S.!” At the height of his career, Elvis Presley was called to military service with the United States Army beginning in March 1958. He left active duty in March 1960. During his active service he was assigned to units at Fort Hood, Texas until September 1958, and from October 1958 until March 1960 he was stationed with a Battalion Headquarters Company from the 3rd Armored Division at Friedberg, Germany, just north of Frankfurt. (I have a unique and loosely connected interest in Elvis’ military career because I was also stationed at Fort Hood – in the mid 80’s – and I had several temporary assignments in and around the Frankfurt area while stationed in Germany, too. But I have a closer connection to Elvis, too. On June 25, 1977, Elvis performed his next to last concert at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, Ohio. As it happened, I was with a large group of family and friends on a baseball trip to watch that day’s game between the Cincinnati Reds and their Western Division rivals, the L.A. Dodgers. After the game, and after the concert, our worlds merged for a few moments when Elvis and his entourage made their way through the crowded lobby of the downtown hotel where we were staying. I caught barely a glimpse of Elvis, but that glimpse has stayed with me for many years.) Years earlier, adoring fans were fortunate to get a better glimpse… some in person, and some thanks to the magic of television because in March 1960, after leaving the Army, Elvis received a special welcome home… from another very popular entertainer: Frank Sinatra. Now, I have a LOT of insights about “Old Blue Eyes”, but those will have to wait for a future blog. (And I assure you, you’ll want to catch that one! I’ll keep you posted! I just don’t want this installment to… stray.) Anyway, Frank Sinatra used his television show to host Elvis Presley and welcome him home after his tour of duty with the Army in Germany. The show was rehearsed and prerecorded in late March and televised in May 1960. Millions tuned in. Here is a YouTube video that captures some of the show titled, “The Frank Sinatra Show: Welcome Home Elvis”, including a duet with Sinatra singing “Love Me Tender” and Elvis delivering “Witchcraft.” Obviously, not every troop gets a nationally televised welcome home. But there are some organizations devoted to serving our military personnel in their travels and at their duty stations. The United Service Organizations comes to mind.
The USO formed in 1941. It combined the efforts of numerous groups whose aims were to boost the morale of the American military. Today, the USO has more than 200 centers around the world to provide programs, entertainment and services to military personnel and their families. I recall countless times over my own military career when I benefited from some of the services of the USO. At airports, the USO was a little haven or retreat, offering free snacks and coffee; providing information about the local area with complimentary maps or guides; and sometimes the USO had the means to enable a troop to place a call to family back home or to contact someone at their next duty station. Since 1941, many more organizations have formed with like-minded goals to assist military personnel and their families as they transition from one assignment to the next. Mistletoe Enterprises and Victory & Valor applaud these organizations for their efforts to support our troops, and sometimes to give the heartwarming greeting… “Welcome Home!” Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley: Thank you both. And to our troops: Thank you for your service! Welcome Home! Have a great weekend
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AuthorTom Davis is the owner of Mistletoe Enterprises LLC. He also publishes and distributes the Victory & Valor Flyer, it tells the stories of heroes from all walks of life. Archives
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