Like oil and water, Jimi Hendrix and the military. extrachill
Back in the day celebrities, like everyone else, faced mandatory military service. Said requirement led to famous atypical pictures of the one and only Jimi Hendrix in fatigues. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, we’ll never see headshots of Chris Pine posing for his draft photo.
At least we can still indulge in the tales of Hendrix allegedly pretending to be gay to avoid Vietnam or masturbating in the latrine to loosen the angst of the Groovy Era’s foremost guitarist, struggling against the strictures of military service. Here are some incredible pictures and tidbits of young Jimmy in the military.
Hendrix never made it to the end of three year commitment.
Prison Time Or Military Time
At the young age of 19, Hendrix faced the easy decision of many young men of his era: go to jail or join the military. The pair of citations for stealing cars and joyriding in the Seattle area undoubtedly made his decision even easier.
Ultimately, like so many other youths, Hendrix chose the military and arrived in Fort Ord, California on May 31st, 1961 for his eight weeks of basic training. Famously Hendrix once said, "When I die, I want people to play my music, go wild, and freak out an' do anything they wanna do." Regrettably, his ethos rather clashed with military conduct.
Hendrix and Billy Cox, 1961. extrachill
Not A Fan
In perhaps the most unsurprisingly revelation, Hendrix hated the military. In a letter to his parents he wrote, “There’s nothing but physical training and harassment here for two weeks, then when you go to jump school, you get hell. They work you to DEATH, fussing and fighting.”
After basic training, Hendrix was sent to the 101st Airborne Division and stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. After eight months of jump school, he earned the group’s infamous Screaming Eagle patch which likely ranked as one of the few Hendrix military achievements he was proud of.
Hendrix honed his distinctive style during the rigors of military training.
Making The Best
Eventually, Hendrix received his guitar from home and found some fellow compatriots with which he could work on his singular style. Fellow soldier Billy Cox and Hendrix would jam out after Cox heard what he described as a mix between John Lee Hooker and Beethoven coming from the future star’s window.
Together, they formed the Kasuals along with a saxophonist named Charles Washington. The trio played regular gigs in Tennessee while avoiding their responsibilities to the best of their abilities. Predictably, Hendrix’s shirking of his duties led to trouble.
Apparently, a number of fellow cadets were annoyed with his playing. guitar.com
Not Made For The Military
Of course with Hendrix’s mind on his music and not the strict code of conduct, superiors began to crack down. In February of ‘62, Captain Bachman sent him for a physical and mental examination before writing in his report about Hendrix, the “Individual is unable to conform to military rules and regulations. Misses bed check; sleeps while supposed to be working; unsatisfactory duty performance. Requires excessive supervision at all times. Was caught masturbating by a member of the platoon.”
Even the military couldn't quite grasp Hendrix future greatness.
A Predictable Parting
Certainly, masturbating in the military hardly seems like wildly abnormal behavior but the system was fighting to fit Hendrix into their square hole. Of course, if Hendrix was a shape, it was one of one and unlikely to ever conform to their norms. Thus began the push and pull of Hendrix removing himself from the army and vice versa.
Some rumors began that Hendrix pretended to be gay in order to avoid Vietnam but that gossip remains baseless. In the end, reports of Hendrix’s disciplinary issues piled up like his unparalleled musical hits. When his fellow musician got out, Hendrix went the extra mile to put an end to his career in the armed forces.
According to soldier Alphonso Young, “His friend Billy Cox was getting out soon, and Jimi didn’t want to stay in the army alone, so Jimi said he broke his ankle to get out. Jimi wore a cast for about two weeks after he was out, and then it came off. He faked that one. I used to ask him how it was doing, and he said, “Oh, just fine.” He knew I was teasing him. He’d figured out a way to get out and be with Billy.” By the time Hendrix was finally discharged from the military, he stacked up an official file that ran an astounding 92 pages!
