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    Restoring My Father's Honor: A Son's Crusade
    Restoring My Father's Honor: A Son's Crusade
    Restoring My Father's Honor: A Son's Crusade
    Ebook124 pages1 hour

    Restoring My Father's Honor: A Son's Crusade

    By David E. Stanley

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    About this ebook

    Master Sgt. William (Bill) J. Stanley had only known victory in his 17 years of military service. From the bloody beaches of Normandy France to the carnage of the Korean War, Bill was a combat soldier who exemplified honor and courage. But the day came, at the height of the Cold War in 1958, when Bill would face a battle waged not with guns, tanks and military might; but with greed, power and money. In what would be a chance encounter, Vernon Presley, Elvis Presley's recently widowed father, entered a local German Club and took the table next to Bill and Dee. Unaware of the man s identity, Bill noticed he was an American and struck up a light conversation that soon developed into a fast friendship. Handsome and charming, Vernon quickly gained Bill s trust and used their friendship to get close to his star-struck wife, Dee. Unknown to Bill, Vernon and Dee soon began to pursue a secret love affair while Bill was out on maneuvers with his troops. Their affair escalated at a torrid pace, leading to a web of deceit and betrayal. In 1960, Dee divorced Bill and married Vernon, taking his three boys out of Bill s life forever. The nuptials made headlines across the country and around the world headlines that vindicated Bill and proved his story. But it was too late, the damage was done. Bill had lost his marriage, his boys, his pension and the honor of the country he had fought so passionately for nearly twenty years to defend. In the span of just two years, 1958 to1960, this once proud military warrior and dedicated family man was reduced from combat hero to a broken individual, left with nothing more than heartbreak and the memory of the only battle he ever lost. Since 1960, the years have seen the deaths of Elvis and Vernon Presley. Bill Stanley died in 1991 without a military funeral and without honors. The contributions he made toward securing the freedoms of America were seemingly forgotten... until now.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDavid E. Stanley
    Release dateSep 2, 2015
    ISBN9780996666701
    Restoring My Father's Honor: A Son's Crusade
    Author

    David E. Stanley

    David is a truly gifted author and speaker whose personal life story of triumph over adversity and stepping into his own greatness has impacted millions around the world. David's powerful programs and contagious passion challenges and inspires individuals to embody the greatness of their personal selves. David has been a frequent guest on Larry King Live, appeared on shows like 20/20, Good Morning America, The Today Show and CBS This Morning and has been the source of numerous articles for such publications as Life Magazine.

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      Book preview

      Restoring My Father's Honor - David E. Stanley

      DAVID E. STANLEY

      ~~~

      Smashwords Edition

      Los Angeles | Nashville

      Copyright ©2015 by Impello Entertainment

      All rights reserved under international and Pan-American copyright conventions. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or as expressly permitted in writing by the publisher.

      Impello Entertainment

      1222 16th Avenue South – Suite 10 Nashville, TN. 37212

      info@impelloentertainment.com

      Published in the United States of America

      First Edition Printing 2015

      ISBN: 978-0-9966667-2-5

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Other Works by David E. Stanley

      Conversations with the King: Journals of a Young Apprentice

      Raised on Rock: Growing Up at Graceland

      The Elvis Encyclopedia

      Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You

      Growing Up Graceland

      Predator in the Pulpit

      Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You

      Restoring My Father’s Honor: A Son’s Crusade

      Growing Up Graceland

      Author’s Note

      This book is a true story based on the compilation of the memoirs and recollections of my father, Sgt. William J. Stanley, my mother, Dee Stanley-Presley, my stepfather Vernon Presley, my stepbrother Elvis Presley, and my life long friends Lamar Fike and Red West as to the events that took place in Germany from 1958-1960 while my family was stationed in Germany. As I was only a toddler when these events unfolded, I have relied on their memories and interpretations of the past to pull together the truth of what really happened to my father.

      To my father, Master Sgt. William J. Stanley, a true American Hero.

      Acknowledgements

      To my elder brothers, Billy and Ricky Stanley—we were on this journey together, and this book would have never been possible without the two of you.

      To my sons, Austin and Tyler Stanley—so you may both know the truth about your grandfather and eternally honor him.

      To my beloved mother, Dee Stanley-Presley—thank you for doing what you thought was best, and always putting your boys first.

      To my stepbrother Elvis Presley—thank you for becoming the father that I lost, and for always encouraging me to honor my father.

      To Lynn Stanley – Thank you for your encouragement, love and prayers through all the years. We did it Lynn.

      To my late friend Lamar Fike—thank you for believing in me and this story from the beginning.

      To Nikki Edwards—thank you for helping me move the story from thoughts in my head to words on a page.

      To my business partner and dear friend David LaChance—thank you for supporting this project from start to finish.

      To a mentor and great friend Berny Dohrmann—thank you for standing next to me for all these years and your driving force in making this book a reality.

      Table of Contents

      Other Works by David E. Stanley

      Author’s Note

      Acknowledgements

      Death of a Hero

      The Early Years & WWII

      A New Family

      A New Enemy

      The Forbidden Fruit

      And So It Begins

      A Seed of Doubt

      A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

      A Snake in the Grass

      Elvis and Vernon: A Battle of Wills

      Blinded by Fame

      The Tactics of War

      The Army Draws the Line

      A Wife Abandoned

      Vernon Under Fire

      A Persistent Enemy

      Vernon Prevails

      The Ultimate Betrayal

      The Spoils of War

      The Carnage of War

      Epilogue

      Death of a Hero

      "Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy.

      F. Scott Fitzgerald

      February 28, 1991 was a beautifully snowy morning at my home in Fairfax, VA as I busied myself preparing for the day. I remember hearing the shrill of the phone from the bedroom. I hurried from the bathroom, and answered the phone with a short hello.

      David, the caller said. This is Billy. Daddy’s dead. He passed away this morning.

      I sat in silence for a moment as the news I had just received sank in. Billy, my older brother, asked me if I was all right. With both of us holding back tears, I said I was okay.

      My dad had been sick for several months, and we both know that this day was coming soon. We also knew that he was now in a better place.

      As I set the phone back in its cradle, I reflected back on our last visit 6 months prior. I was doing a speaking engagement in Edmonton, Canada when I got the call that he was very sick. I traveled all day to get to him at the hospital in Jacksonville, FL.

      It had been many years since I had last seen him. When I arrived at the hospital, my two older brothers Billy and Ricky were there to meet me.

      We entered his room and sat on the bed. A lifelong struggle with alcoholism had taken its toll on his body. Weak and defeated, he was a shell of his former self.

      It was a tough visit for me, as I’d never really understood what had happened between he and my mom, and how he could have abandoned his boys. I was only 4 years old when I watched him drive away for the last time, and my mother never really wanted to talk about it much. All she would ever say about him was that he was a combat veteran and an alcoholic. She and my dad divorced in 1960 and she remarried—this time to Vernon Presley, father of Elvis Presley.

      Though I was losing a father, I was so young that I couldn’t fully comprehend what was happening. My father’s loss was my gain. I had everything a boy could ever dream of—my own room, a huge yard to play in, countless toys and a doting new older stepbrother in the form of Elvis Presley.

      Elvis always felt sorry for my dad and made a point of looking after me. He played with me, filled his yard full of toys, wiped my tears, attended my football games and drove me to school--all the things my dad missed out on. Even though he never spoke of what happened to me directly, he told me I should honor and respect my father in spite of the circumstances.

      As the three of us sit and talked with this man we barely knew, he wept, drawing each one of us close to him to tell us how much he loved and missed us. I told him I loved him too, kissed him on the forehead and left the room. The next day I left and went back home to Virginia.

      I called up my older brother Ricky, and we talked about the upcoming funeral. I

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