With Melba Kelder, Fort Hood 1958

Source:
http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=9998

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Nice find. The back story is interesting (see below). And anyone else notice Elvis is wearing the stripes of a Staff Sergeant? He didn't officially make Private First Class until November 1958.

580600_w Melba Kelder_Dental Clinic No. 4_Fort Hood.JPG

Melba Kelder met and had her photo taken with Elvis Presley during the singer’s visit to Dental Clinic No. 4 while he was stationed at Fort Hood. All of the workers at the clinic were taken with Presley, she told her son, Mel.

Another individual Melba talks about meeting is Pvt. Elvis Presley.

“She was working at Dental clinic No. 4, which is a vacant lot now, but was next to the old skating rink on post at 37th Street, across from the Phantom Warrior Center,” Kelder said. “She was an X-ray technician at the time, and Elvis came in with the other Soldiers for dental care.”

All of the workers in the clinic were taken by Presley, he said, noting that everybody tried to make it like he was just another Soldier, but they took lots of photos.

Kelder said his mother would send Soldiers, ones she felt were not being cared for properly, home with a packet of dental hygiene accessories and tell them not to come back with mouth like that.

“She loved every minute of it,” Kelder said. “She just loved taking care of Soldiers.”

http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=9998

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Last edited by drjohncarpenter on Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A little adjustment.

Melba_fix.jpg

rjm

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Thanks Fool,John and Robin,nice posts

That's terriffic! Thanks, "The Fool". Or as 'Karlos' would say, Ty.

that band doc with the sergant stripes , ususally was worn by the squad leader , elvis may have been squad leader for that day or week . you would wear the arm ban so you be known as squad leader so that may explain him wearing it . elvis was not made sergant untill right before his discharge in 1960 .

And anyone else notice Elvis is wearing the stripes of a Staff Sergeant?

No, he was wearing his corporal of the guard (COG) arm band / aka assistant quad leader. He was promoted Staff
Sgt and Acting Staff Sgt 2 years later. Since he is wearing the COG and had no medals , I asssume the photo was taken in
April or May 1958 during basic training In Fort Hood. He got his sharpshooters medals afterwards.

And anyone else notice Elvis is wearing the stripes of a Staff Sergeant?

No, he was wearing his corporal of the guard (COG) arm band / aka assistant squad leader. He was promoted Staff Sgt and Acting Staff Sgt 2 years later. Since he is wearing the COG and had no medals , I asssume the photo was taken in April or May 1958 during basic training In Fort Hood. He got his sharpshooters medals afterwards.

I am well aware of when Elvis earned his Sergeant's stripes. I was making note of what he had on his sleeve in the photo. It's funny, because it looks exactly like a Staff Sergeant's stripes.

ranks.jpg

And you may recall, in the book Elvis Like Any Other Solider he was called an "acting sergeant" in a similar photo.

580528FtHood.jpg

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I assume that either most of you never went into the armed forces, or have forgotten:

Regarding the photo of Elvis standing over a pot of to-be-peeled potatoes, I think Elvis may have been what the Navy referred to as a Recruit Company Petty Officer (RCPO), or, in his case, a Recruit "Sergeant".

Regarding all the photos which show him wearing an armband with Staff Sergeant's stripes, or what looks like them, all servicemen, not just in the Army, wear such armbands when standing special duties, such as Corporal of the Guard (as E-Cat said), Squad Leader, Scout, and many others. The rank (and commensurate authority) is conferred temporarily for the duration of a specific (very short-term) duty assignment, which is why it is on an armband, and not sewn or stenciled on.

Also, sharpshooter medals and ribbons are worn only with a Class A uniform, never with a fatigue or working uniform.

Nice photos, almost all new to me.

Nice additional information!

I am well aware of when Elvis earned his Sergeant's stripes. I was making note of what he had on his sleeve in the photo. It's funny, because it looks exactly like a Staff Sergeant's stripes.

The stripes on the sleeve you mentioned were worn on an armband. Therefore I suggested that he was promoted to a temporarily Acting Sgt (which he was). So it is not so strange that they look the same as the real Staff Sergeant stripes. Note, he also was promoted to this position shortly before to going to Grafenwoehr (Jan 1960). He earned these stripes shortly after.

Another individual Melba talks about meeting is Pvt. Elvis Presley.

“She was working at Dental clinic No. 4, which is a vacant lot now, but was next to the old skating rink on post at 37th Street, across from the Phantom Warrior Center,” Kelder said. “She was an X-ray technician at the time, and Elvis came in with the other Soldiers for dental care.”

A former colleague of Melba commented that Melba used a double film to automatically produce a duplicate record of a radio-graphic examination. One radio graph can be retained for the dentist's files and the other can be used for insurance claims . So Melba had a double set of x-ray set of his teeth. After she was retired in 1992, I have been offered various set of x-rays from Fort Hood. I need to look for these to have the exact date, which will most likely be the correct date of the photo, but as stated it should have been no later than May 1958.

Another individual Melba talks about meeting is Pvt. Elvis Presley.

“She was working at Dental clinic No. 4, which is a vacant lot now, but was next to the old skating rink on post at 37th Street, across from the Phantom Warrior Center,” Kelder said. “She was an X-ray technician at the time, and Elvis came in with the other Soldiers for dental care.”

A former colleague of Melba commented that Melba used a double film to automatically produce a duplicate record of a radio-graphic examination. One radio graph can be retained for the dentist's files and the other can be used for insurance claims . So Melba had a double set of x-ray set of his teeth. After she was retired in 1992, I have been offered various set of x-rays from Fort Hood. I need to look for these to have the exact date, which will most likely be the correct date of the photo, but as stated it should have been no later than May 1958.

Learning the date will be most excellent. The candid seems to be late May-early June, just before he went home to Memphis for a break. Oh, and if you can post a scan of the x-rays of Elvis' teeth, it will be the single greatest upload in the history of FECC.