Before Johnny Cash was a country mega-star, he served his country in the Air Force. Cash enlisted when he was 18 years old, though he would have likely been drafted if he had not joined voluntarily.
Time In the Military
Cash went to basic training at the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. His time there was followed by additional training at the Brooks Air Force Base, which was also in Texas.
Cash was deployed to West Germany with the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile with the Air Force's Security Service. His job while there was to intercept messages from the Soviets and put them into Morse code.
Cash spent four peaceful years in the Air Force and left once his contract was up. When he left, his rank was a staff sergeant.
Orgins of a Scar
Johnny Cash had a very noticeable scar on his right jaw. Fans could see it easily during TV performances and when he was photographed at the right angle.
It turns out he got the scar while he was in the military. However, it did not come from anything too exciting.
It was from a cyst. One of the Air Force doctors said that cyst needed to be taken off, so Cash had it surgically removed. As a result, he was left with one of his most defining features.
Married Life
A month after Cash left the Air Force, he married his first wife, Vivian Liberto, who he met while at basic training. The two met at a skating rink.
When he deployed to Germany, the pair would write letters to one another. The notes numbered in the thousands by the time he came back.
A month after he got back, the two were married and moved to Nashville. Cash was a vacuum salesman while becoming a radio announcer.
When his music career took off, they moved to Hollywood. Vivian divorced him, and he married June two years later, in 1968. Cash is most remembered for his legendary music and he and June's epic love story.
I was 7 years old when he married June Carter /Cash I grew up listening to his music. and still listen to it today !! and will until I die . meril hagered Conway twisty Loretta Lynn Jonny Horton it seems when they all died the making of good real down home music died as well now its about my time . and like Merill Haggered song we are rolling down hill like a snowball headed for hell . I guess he was pretty smart man . because that's where this country is going with this commie joe idiots ruining 🇺🇸 AMERICA 🇺🇸.
Enjoyed reading this! I always liked to listen to Johnny Cash. My dad was a railroader, he loved the songs Johnny sang about trains. He was a good entertainer, liked his show back in the day. Interesting story, he had a lot of hits, colorful guy who always wore black.
Wow Johnny Cash Radio Intercepts spy on Russia, saw him on Stagecoach, 1986 movie yesterday on Insp TV
Ah, The Ring of Fire. How apt a song.
The man in black is as much an icon in the music industry as is Elvis Presley. Too bad the country music world went out of touch with the music coming out of Nashville today. It's different to say the least but it's still better than someone taking money for making crap called rap. I admit I am old but music is music not an excuse to perform indecent stuff which has our young people listening to trash and praising idiots that know nothing about entertaining. God bless Johnny Cash for his years of MUSIC and his love of America.