Pvt. Eddie Slovik became the first American soldier since
the Civil War to be court-martialed and executed by firing
squad for desertion—and the only one who suffered such
a fate during World War II.
Pvt. Eddie Slovik was a draftee. Originally classified 4-F
because of a prison record (grand theft auto), he was
reclassified 1-A when draft standards were lowered to
meet growing personnel needs.
In January 1944, he was trained to be a rifleman, which
was not to his liking, as he hated guns.
In August of the same year, Slovik was shipped to France
to fight with the 28th Infantry Division.
Slovik was a replacement, a class of soldier not particular
respected by officers. As he and a companion were on the
way to the front lines, they became lost in the chaos of
battle and stumbled upon a Canadian unit that took them
in.
Eddie and Antoinette Slovik.
1974
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