My Family’s Military History and Its Connection to Elvis Presley

back to Family Stories, Fall 2021

by Skylar Musick

While I was taking Genealogy: All in Your Family, my father mentioned a photograph he had seen of his uncle and Elvis Presley. It was taken while they served in the United States Army together. I was immediately intrigued and felt compelled to include the story behind this photograph in my Final Project for our course. Therefore, my father found the photograph again with the help of his cousin, and I called my great uncle to find out more about his time in the service and what his relationship was like with the beloved King of Rock n’ Roll.

James Musick, my paternal great uncle, was born in Texas on 21 February 1941. Only one week after graduating from high school, eighteen-year-old James began his service in the U.S. Army in 1959. He left the states to serve in Germany, where he would be stationed for three years. “It’s an eerie feeling to leave your home, the only place you’ve known, for the first time,” James shared with me on our recent phone call. “When you go to a place so far away to fight for your country, there is a lot of unknown.”

During my great uncle’s three years in Germany, he met and built relationships with many fellow U.S. soldiers, including Elvis Presley. Presley served in Germany from 1958 to 1960. When I asked my great uncle what he knew about Elvis, he said, “I talked to him often. One time, I remember he lost his wallet after being pick-pocketed and had to get an entirely new set of identification cards.” James also shared that Presley always had a cigarette in his mouth, but never lit it. “We all wondered why he never lit one and would chuckle about it sometimes,” James shared. “But that was his thing.” Overall, James said that Elvis was a good man, and was liked and respected by everyone he served with.

A picture containing person, outdoor, standing Description automatically generated
my great uncle, James Musick (left), and Elvis Presley (right). One of my father’s cousins found the photo and sent a copy to my father

Eventually, James became a Specialist E-4, which is equivalent to a Corporal, and worked for the Unity Army Corps (UAC). After his service in Germany ended, James arrived home to the states in Fort Hamilton, New York. Today, James still lives in Ratcliff. He takes a lot of pride in his time serving our country and looks back on his experience fondly. My phone conversation with my great uncle was very interesting. I loved learning more about his background and his time in the military.