1945: Private Eddie Slovik, the last American shot for desertion

[Draggingtree]

1945: Private Eddie Slovik, the last American shot for desertion

 

January 31st, 2009dogboy

 

On January 31, 1945, Private Edward Donald “Eddie” Slovik became a curious outlier of World War II: he was executed by firing squad by the U.S. Army for desertion. He is the only person to have been so punished for that crime since the Civil War.

 

Pvt Slovik was, by all accounts, quiet and helpful, by no means a coward, and more than willing to aid in the effort of World War II, traits which would have put him among a large class of that war’s veterans. Unfortunately, he was also immobilized by shelling. Equally unfortunately, he knew it, and he decided to do something about it.

 

Slovik and a friend, Pvt John F. Tankey, first separated from their detachment under artillery fire in late August 1944, shortly after being shipped to France. The pair hooked up with a Canadian unit and spent six weeks pitching in. Having recused themselves from the hard shelling others were experiencing on the front line, they opted to rejoin their regular U.S. unit: Slovik and Tankey sent a letter to their commanding officer explaining their absence and returned on Oct. 7.

 

http://www.executedtoday.com/2009/01/31/1945-private-eddie-slovik-desertion/

[Pepper]

@Draggingtree

 

 

The book and later file were good.

 

Quite a site BTW

 

http://www.executedtoday.com