On December 7, 1941, the battleship USS Arizona sank after being bombed at Pearl Harbor. More than a thousand crew members were killed, at least 900 of whom remain with the shipwreck. In the 1950s, plans to build a monument in Arizona took shape. By 1960, however, the $500,000 needed was barely half raised. That all changed after Presley performed at a charity concert at the commemoration on March 25, 1961.
When Elvis Presley's agent, Colonel Tom Parker, learned of the shortage of fundraising funds, he thought that hosting a charity concert would have a huge publicity effect on Elvis Presley. The singer quickly agreed to participate. While Elvis's involvement was not motivated by his character — he was known for his generosity to many people and organizations — supporting the USS Arizona Memorial was a particularly fitting reason for him.
On November 11, 1957, Elvis Presley sang for service members and their families in Hawaii. It was his last concert before joining the army in 1958. His recent service experience (honorably retired in the spring of 1960) provided another connection for fundraisers. He hadn't seen a war during his stay in Germany, but in another era, the amount of time he wore his uniform could have been very different. As Parker reminded people at a news conference, a 26-year-old Elvis is "about the same age as the boys buried on the Arizona."
Parker chose to share Elvis's religious album on Radio Oahu to advertise Elvis's concert. But the event, which will take place at pearl harbor's Bloch Arena, really doesn't need much publicity, as the public scrambles to buy tickets to see Elvis Presley. Everyone had to buy tickets — Parker insisted there would be no coupons, so even senior officials had to buy tickets.
After the concert, Elvis will shoot the movie "Blue Hawaii" on Hawaii Island, and Paramount Pictures sent Elvis and his entourage. When he arrived at Honolulu International Airport that day, he was warmly welcomed by about 3,000 spectators (movie icon Jimmy Stewart was also on the same plane, but received little attention from the audience).
Minnie Pearl, the star of "Grand Ole Opry," flew in with Elvis to cheer her on, saying, "The chaos is indescribable." "I've never seen so many women in my life. They were screaming. They shouted. I was terrified. I thought, 'They're going to kill him.' "I'm afraid that if they can escape, they'll escape."
After the afternoon press conference, Elvis headed to the Bloch Stadium, where 4,000 fans crowded to watch his performance that night. There, he appeared on stage wearing the famous golden lame suit jacket. In 1957, he wore this suit for the first time; This concert was the last time he performed with it on.
After retiring, Elvis worked charity in Memphis but never sang a song at a live concert in years. But when he started humming, he didn't hesitate— he was demagogic. The album features 15 of his hits, including "All Shake Up," "Don't Be Cruel," and "Are You Lonesome Tonight." His last song was "The Hound".
The screams of the crowd sometimes make it difficult to hear the music. Luckily, Elvis seems to thrive in a vibrant atmosphere, and his signature smile appeals to fans. Unfortunately, the incident wasn't videotaped — Parker had tried to get NBC to produce a TV special for the concert, but the two sides couldn't agree. Since Elvis didn't perform live in the 8 years after the charity event, the people present were even luckier to see him.
Elvis' concert raised more than $54,000 for the Memorial Fund, and Elvis also donated separately. On March 30, the Hawaii House of Representatives passed Resolution 105 thanking him and Parker for their contributions to the nation.
What's more, Elvis's actions have drawn new attention to the USS Arizona Memorial Fund. After the benefits ended, more money came from the public and private sectors, and the memorial was soon under construction. It was inaugurated on May 30, 1962.
Elvis was always proud of the help he provided. In 1965, he made his first stop in front of the monument and laid a wreath in front of the monument. Elvis also went to the memorial on several other trips to Hawaii, including bringing Priscilla Presley there during their marriage.