Edward Donald Slovik (above) was a private in the U.S Army during World War ll and the only American soldier to be court-martialled and executed for desertion since the Civil War.

Over 21,000 American soldiers were given varying sentences for desertion during World War II, including 49 death sentences,but Slovik’s was the only death sentence carried out.

Slovik’s execution was the basis for a 1954 book by William Bradford Huie.The book was adapted for a TV movie in 1974 starring Martin Sheen and also called The Execution of Private Slovik.