Elvis Presley Donating His Yacht to Raise Money for the Newly Created St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 1964
On February 14, 1964, Elvis Presley officially handed over the deed of the USS Potomac, the former presidential yacht of Franklin D. Roosevelt, to entertainer Danny Thomas to raise funds for the newly established St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis (Elvis’s hometown).
The USS Potomac served as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous “Floating White House” from 1936 to 1945. Elvis bought the yacht at an auction on January 30, 1964, for $55,000 (equivalent to over $500,000 today). He originally intended to donate it to the March of Dimes, but they declined the gift due to high maintenance costs. The public transfer took place on Valentine’s Day in Long Beach, California, where Elvis presented the keys and deed directly to Danny Thomas. St. Jude sold the vessel shortly thereafter for $75,000 to generate operating funds for the pediatric research facility.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Elvis Presley is making this gracious contribution,” Thomas said after the ceremony. “Elvis is a great humanitarian.”
Today, the fully restored USS Potomac is docked at Jack London Square in Oakland, California, where it serves as a US National Historic Landmark open for public tours.
