It’s July fourteenth, and on this day in 1976… Elvis Presley flew to Las Vegas with Linda Thompson and resumed medical care under Dr. Ghanem, marking a period of increased health concerns for the King. Just the day before, on July thirteenth, Vernon Presley made the difficult decision to fire three longtime members of Elvis’s entourage—Sonny West, Red West, and karate expert Dave Hebler—citing financial belt tightening amid ongoing tensions within the group. The abrupt dismissals shocked those involved, especially Red West, Elvis’s high school friend, highlighting the growing strains behind the scenes of Elvis’s inner circle.
