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

By: ExecutedToday.com » Executed Today’s Second Annual Report: Once Bitten, Twice Die

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:45:06 +0000

[...] January 31, 1945: Private Eddie Slovik, the last American shot for desertion [...]

By: Frederick

Frederick — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:06:05 +0000

Its a sad story, he did get what he deserved. However with that said being a Army veteran myself, I wish Pvt.Slovik does get a pardon. He fucked up but I feel for his family even know. The descendent of a coward is a hard thing to bear. I wonder how hard it would be to get a petition signed for such a thing?

By: armand azario

armand azario — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:12:52 +0000

Why ignore the undisputed facts?

The guy DESERTED. The punishment is firing squad. He knew it. He made the deliberate decision NOT to return to his unit and face the same perils of his comrades-in-arms, who were risking their lives for their country and for each other.

So, what is the basis for a pardon?

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:39:25 +0000

He was given ample opportunity to return to his unit, over and over he was offered the chance to return and serve faithfuly, he refused. In time of war I mean real war like WWII, You have to have strict military discipline. You have to have an example. The sentence was just and fair.

By: Ronnie C

Ronnie C — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:51:16 +0000

I’m a 24 year vet. What a cryng shame! The army ought to be ashamed. After all these years they still haven’ t gotten it right. Private Slovik did commit a crime, but it certainly wasn’t desertion. Antoinette should have lived to see him pardoned. He still has family somewhere, they deserve an apology and compensation. Ultimately he died because someone didn’t like his juvenile record..apparently the judge advocate and others making the decision to execute him were “without sin.” Perhaps President Obama will do what so many presidents have failed to do–pardon him and release his family from bondage.

By: Don Ladd

Don Ladd — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:08:51 +0000

I too, believe that Pvt. Slovik’s execution was a travesty and certainly a black day for the US Army.
I definately would not have wanted to be in Eisenhower’s shoes at that moment in history.
It is clear what Pvt. Slovik’s intetions were, but they were only intentions. He never carried out his threat. The Army kept him in captivity for refusing to retract the threats.
If he was never afforded the oppertunity to run away, how could he be a deserter?
There is no doubt that he refused to serve under fire and that is a criminal offense but given the manner in which this whole business was handled, I don’t think the death penalty was appropriate.

By: Marvin Drake

Marvin Drake — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:47:57 +0000

I don’t think it is to save money, as Eddie probably has no more immediate family, and WWII veterans had no pension, unless a service-connected disability, only insurance policy proceeds. (We paid $6 per month for $10,000 insurance). Career military retirees have pensions. I have been a life-long Republican, but I do believe a Republican president or legislature would never pardon Eddie, as that would be a repudiation of President Eisenhower, who approved his execution, apparently after recomendation by his staff. I think this was the US Army’s most shameful official act, as after research, I believe Eddie did not really desert (even though he said so in his dumb “guardhouse lawyer” scheme). If they had to kill someone, they had a lot of deserters in the Paris blackmarket, close by Eisenhower’s headquarters at the time. Sure, it is so sad that so many lost their lives by enemy action, but this was so bad because WE did it, not the Germans.
Marvin Drake, US Army 1943-46 (S/Sgt, Inf, Germany)