Author Description

Elvis Presley's army years are often considered the “lost years” because so little is known about them. Elvis's fellow soldier and friend, Rex Mansfield, along with his wife, Elisabeth—with whom Elvis was once romantically linked—reveal a fascinating portrait of young Elvis the soldier. Tales of Elvis and Rex's induction in Memphis, basic training in Texas, and travels to Germany are recounted, and stories of the genesis of Elvis's addiction to prescription drugs, his initial meeting with Priscilla Beaulieu, and his daily life on base and in the homes he rented in Texas and Germany are revealed. Included are many previously unpublished photographs from this important time in Elvis's life.