Private Eddie Slovik

Edward Donald Slovik (February 18, 1920 – January 31, 1945) was a private in the United States Army during World War II and the only American soldier to be executed for desertion since the American Civil War. Eddie Slovik This picture is from WWII so I think its in public domain. ... Eddie Slovik This picture is from WWII so I think its in public domain. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses of Desertion, see Abandonment. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total...

Although over twenty-one thousand soldiers were given varying sentences for desertion during World War II—including forty-nine death sentences—only Slovik's death sentence was carried out.

Early life and draft

Slovik was born to a Polish-American family in Detroit, Michigan. As a minor, he was arrested several times; the first time, when he was twelve, occurred when he and some friends broke into a foundry to steal some brass. Between 1932 and 1937, he was caught for several incidents of petty theft, breaking and entering and disturbing the peace. In October 1937, he was sent to jail, and paroled in September 1938. After stealing and crashing a car with two friends while drunk, he was sent back to jail in January 1939. A Polish American is an American citizen of Polish descent. ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Founded 1701 Incorporation 1806 Government  - Type Strong Mayor-Council  - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) Area  - City  143. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Breaking and entering is defined as the crime of illegally entering a residence or other enclosed property using any amount of force (even pushing open an unlocked door). ... Disturbing Tha Peace (DTP) is a rap crew from Atlanta which is comprised of Ludacris, Shawnna, I-20, Tity Boi, Lil Fate, Jay Cee and St. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... It has been suggested that Medical parole be merged into this article or section. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In April 1942, Slovik was paroled once more and obtained a job at the Montella Plumbing Company in Dearborn. There he met his wife, Antoinette Wisniewski, whom he married on November 7, 1942. They went to live with her parents. Slovik's criminal record had led him to be classified as unfit for duty in the U.S. military ("4-F"), but shortly after his and Antoinette's first wedding anniversary, Slovik was reclassified as fit for duty ("1-A") and subsequently drafted by the Army. 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Location in Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Government  - Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... A criminal record or rap sheet, is a compilation of an individuals identification, arrest, conviction (law), incarceration, legal status, sex offender registration, warrant information, and other relevant criminal history. ... The United States has employed conscription (mandatory military service, also called the draft) several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War. ...

Slovik arrived at Camp Wolters in Texas for basic military training on January 24, 1944. In August, he was dispatched to join the fighting in France. Arriving on August 20, he was one of twelve reinforcements assigned to Company G of the 109th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 28th Infantry Division. Fort Wolters was a United States military installation four miles east of Mineral Wells, Texas. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 28th Infantry Division [Mechanized] is a unit of the United States Army formed in 1917 in World War I. It continues its service today as part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. ...

Desertion

While enroute to his unit, Slovik and a friend, Private John Tankey, took cover during an artillery attack and became separated from their detachment. The next morning, they found a non-combat Canadian unit and remained with them at the rear of the front for the next six weeks. Tankey wrote to their regiment to explain their absence before he and Slovik reported for duty on October 7. No charges against them were filed.

The following day, October 8, Slovik informed his company commander, Captain Ralph Grotte, that he was "too scared" to serve in a rifle company and asked to be reassigned to a rear area unit. He told Grotte that he would run away if he were assigned to a rifle unit and asked him if that would constitute desertion. Grotte confirmed that it would and refused his request for reassignment, assigning him to a rifle platoon. is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100-200 soldiers. ...

The next day, October 9, Slovik approached an MP and gave him a note in which he stated his intention to "run away" if he were sent into combat. He was brought before Lieutenant Colonel Ross Henbest, who offered him the opportunity to tear up the note and face no further charges. Slovik refused and wrote a further note stating he understood what he was doing and its consequences. is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The MP Command providing security coverage at the Padang in Singapore during the National Day Parade in 2000. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ...

Slovik was taken into custody and confined to the division stockade. The divisional judge advocate, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Summer, again offered Slovik an opportunity to rejoin his unit and have the charges against him suspended. He also offered Slovik a transfer to another infantry regiment. Slovik declined these offers, saying, "I've made up my mind. I'll take my court martial." A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide some security. ... The Judge Advocate Generals Corps of the United States Army is composed of Army officers who are also lawyers and who provide legal services to the Army at all levels of command. ... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ...

Court martial

The 28th Division was scheduled to begin an attack on Hurtgen Forest. The attack was common knowledge in the unit and casualty rates were expected to be very high. Men indicated they preferred to be imprisoned rather than remain in combat and the rates for desertion and other crimes had begun to rise. Combatants United States Germany Commanders Courtney Hodges Walter Model Strength 120,000 80,000 Casualties 33,000 casualties 12,000—16,000 deaths[1] (est. ... Look up Casualty in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Slovik was charged with desertion to avoid hazardous duty and court martialed on November 11, 1944. The prosecutor, Captain John Green, presented witnesses to whom Slovik had stated his intention to "run away." The defense counsel, Captain Edward Woods, announced that Slovik had elected not to testify. The nine officers of the court found Slovik guilty and sentenced him to death. The sentence was reviewed and approved by the divisional commander, Major General Norman Cota. November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Norman Daniel Dutch Cota (May 30, 1893, Chelsea, Massachusetts - October 4, 1971, Wichita, Kansas) was a U.S. General during World War II. // Brigadier General Cota was assistant Division commander of the US 29th Infantry Division at Omaha Beach during the Battle of Normandy. ...

On December 9, Slovik wrote a letter to the Supreme Allied commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, pleading for clemency. However, desertion had become a problem, and Eisenhower confirmed the execution order on December 23. The execution by firing squad, was carried out at 10:04 a.m. on January 31, 1945, near the village of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. Slovik was twenty-four years old. is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower, born David Dwight Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American General and politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953–1961). ... A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Third of May by Francisco Goya Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in times of war. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (German: Markirch) is a commune of the Haut-Rhin département, in France. ...

Slovik was buried in Plot E of Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial in Fère-en-Tardenois, alongside 96 other American soldiers executed for crimes such as murder and rape. Their black headstones bear numbers instead of names, so it is impossible to identify them individually without knowing the key. In 1987, forty-two years after his execution, Slovik's remains were returned to Michigan and reburied in Woodmere Cemetery, Detroit, next to his wife Antoinette, who had died in 1979. Slovik's wife and others have petitioned seven U.S. presidents, but Slovik has not been pardoned. The Oise-Aisne Cemetery lies one and a half miles east of Fère-en-Tardenois, Aisne, Picardy, France and about fourteen miles northeast of Château-Thierry. ... Fère-en-Tardenois is a commune of northern France, in the Aisne département. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Legacy

Slovik's execution was the basis for a 1954 book by William Bradford Huie (see below), made into a 1974 TV movie starring Martin Sheen, entitled The Execution of Private Slovik. Slovik's death by 12 sharpshooters and Eisenhower's execution orders are also portrayed in a scene during the 1963 film The Victors. William Bradford Bill Huie (November 13, 1910 – November 20, 1986) was an American journalist, editor, publisher, television interviewer, screenwriter, lecturer, and novelist. ... A television movie (also TV movie, TV-movie, made-for-TV movie, etc. ... Martin Sheen (born August 3, 1940) is an Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning American actor. ... The Execution of Private Slovik is an American made-for-television movie that aired on NBC on March 13, 1974. ... The Victors is a 1963 film by Carl Foreman following a group of U.S. soldiers through Europe during World War II, from the early days of the Battle of Britain, through the fierce fighting in Italy and France, to the uneasy peace of Berlin. ...

In 1962 Frank Sinatra announced that he would produce a movie entitled The Execution of Private Slovik to be written by blacklisted Hollywood 10 screenwriter Albert Maltz. This announcement evoked tremendous outrage, accusing Sinatra of being a Communist sympathizer. As Sinatra was campaigning for John F. Kennedy for President, the Kennedy campaign became concerned and ultimately prevailed upon Sinatra to cancel the project.^[1] Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American jazz oriented popular singer and Academy Award-winning actor. ... The Execution of Private Slovik is an American made-for-television movie that aired on NBC on March 13, 1974. ... A blacklist is a list or register of people who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, or mobility. ... The Hollywood Ten was a group of American screenwriters and directors, alleged members of the Communist Party, who were convicted of contempt of Congress during the height of the Red Scare. ... Screenwriters, scenarists or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies and television programs are made. ... Albert Maltz (October 28, 1908 – April 26, 1985) was an American author and screenwriter who was one of the Hollywood Ten who were blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses during the era of McCarthyism. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F. Kennedy, Kennedy, John Kennedy, Jack Kennedy, or JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of the United States. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Look up Campaign in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Kurt Vonnegut mentions Slovik's execution in his novel Slaughterhouse Five. Vonnegut also wrote A Soldier's Story, a radio opera about Slovik with music by the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. ... Slaughterhouse-Five; or, The Childrens Crusade: A Duty-Dance With Death is a 1969 novel by Kurt Vonnegut. ... Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. ... The Manhattan Chamber Orchestra is a chamber orchestra based in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. ...

Balaklava, the 1968 anti-war psychedelic folk album by Tom Rapp's group Pearls Before Swine, was dedicated to Private Slovik. Balaklava was the second album recorded and released by psychedelic folk group Pearls Before Swine, in 1968. ... Tom Rapp (born 1947) is an American composer and folk singer. ... For other uses of the phrase Pearls Before Swine, see Pearls Before Swine (disambiguation). ...

See also

• List of individuals executed by the United States military

The military of the United States has executed 160 soldiers and other members of the armed forces between 1942 and 1961 (these figures do not include German prisoners of war, war criminals and saboteurs executed by military authorities between 1942 and 1951). ...

External links

• The Execution of Private Slovik by William Bradford Huie.
• Eddie Slovik at findagrave.com.
• The Sad Story of Private Eddie Slovik
• The Execution of Private Slovik at the Internet Movie Database
• The Execution of Pvt. Eddie Slovik from The Detroit News.