It was during the filming of “Wild in the Country” in late 1960 that Colonel Parker read an article in the “Los Angeles Examiner” about a call for donations to the memorial fund for the USS Arizona, one of the battleships sunk in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, which resulted in the Americans joining World War II. The Colonel volunteered Elvis’s services, given that Elvis would soon be in Hawaii to film his next movie, “Blue Hawaii”.
A deal was struck such that every dollar from ticket sales would go to the fund, overheads would be paid by the “Honolulu Advertiser”, and the Colonel would cover the travel expenses for Elvis, the band, and his entourage.
The most expensive tickets were priced at $100. Even Elvis and the Colonel bought a ticket with Elvis saying, “If I gotta pay to get to sing on stage that’s good enough for me”.
In advance of Elvis’ arrival in Hawaii, Colonel Parker paid for a special radio programme to be broadcast, “Elvis Salutes the USS Arizona”, which featured a selection of Elvis’ gospel recordings being played from the 1957 extended play record “Peace in the Valley” and from his recent first full gospel album “His Hand in Mine”.
Elvis spent the week before the concert in Los Angeles, where he recorded the soundtrack for the upcoming movie “Blue Hawaii”.
Ahead of Elvis’ arrival in Honolulu, the press reported, “Presley Due Tomorrow; Honolulu Airport Braced”. The day after his arrival, they reported: “Elvis Airport Aloha Is Wild”. An estimated crowd of three thousand screaming fans turned out to greet Elvis at 12:20 pm on March 25.
Seventy-five police officers were on duty at the airport and escorted Elvis to the Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel. Elvis gave a press conference at 3:30 pm.
An additional twelve motorcycle officers were on hand to escort Elvis to the arena, one of them commented, “It was a harrowing experience. However, I wouldn’t want to be in Presley’s shoes, not with all those kids screaming for me all the time.”
Elvis took to the stage at 8:30 pm on March 25, 1961, at the 5,000-seat Bloch Arena, as he performed once again in his gold jacket.
Elvis sang each song with the kind of energy as if it were the first time that he was presenting them to an audience. Gordon Stoker of The Jordanaires remembered that Elvis fell to his knees and slid six metres across the stage, microphone in hand, never missing a note.
Both the radio programme and an official taping of the concert were released in 2012 as a presentation CD under the label “Memphis Recording Service,” titled “Such A Night in Pearl Harbor”.
Elvis performs:
- Heartbreak Hotel
- All Shook Up
- (Now and then There’s) A Fool Such as I
- I Got a Woman
- Love Me
- Such A Night
- Reconsider Baby
- I Need Your Love Tonight
- That’s All Right
- Don’t Be Cruel
- One Night
- Are You Lonesome Tonight?
- It’s Now or Never
- Swing Down Sweet Chariot
- Hound Dog
Proceeds from ticket sales, memorabilia, and a personal donation from both Elvis and the Colonel totalled $62,000, which was donated for the construction. It was the largest donation made. The memorial was opened on May 30, 1962.
