Home > Eddie Slovik

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Slovik was originally classified as 4-F, unfit for duty, because he had been arrested several times. The first time was at the age of 12, when he broke into a foundry together with several friends to steal some brass. From 1932 to 1937, he was caught for several incidents of petty theft, breaking and entering and disturbing the peace. He was sent to jail in October 1937 and got paroled in September 1938. In January of 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26, he was sent to jail again, after drunk driving a stolen car with two friends and crashing it.

He was paroled in April 1942Events January January 1 World War II: The word " United Nations" is first officially used to describe the Allied pact. January 2 World War II: Manila is captured by Japanese forces. January 5 Amy Johnson disappears in flight over River Thames estuary ass, after which he got a job at Montella Plumbing Co. in DearbornDearborn is a city of nearly 98,000 people located in the Metro Detroit metropolitan area and Wayne County, Michigan. The city is the hometown of Henry Ford and the world headquarters of the Ford Motor Company, and the site of a University of Michigan cam, where he met his wife Antoinette Wisniewski. On November 7November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. Events 1665 The London Gazette, the oldest surviving journal, is first published. 1783 A man convicted of forgery is the last to be publicly h, 1942, they got married. Shortly after their first aniversary, in November 19431943 is the common year starting on Friday. Events January January 4 End of term for Culbert Olson, 29th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Earl Warren. January 11 The United States and United Kingdom give up territorial rights in China. January 1, Slovik was reclassified to 1-A and drafted by the army. He was sent to Camp Wolters in TexasTexas joined the United States of America as its 28th member state in 1845. It has the postal abbreviation TX . The state name derives from a word in a Caddoan language of the Hasinai, tejas meaning friends or allies Spanish explorers mistakenly applied t on January 24January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 341 days remaining (342 in leap years). Events 41 Claudius is appointed Emperor of Rome after his nephew, Caligula, is assassinated. 1458 Matthias I Corvinus becomes king of Hunga, 1944Events World War II January January 4 The Battle of Monte Cassino begins. January 5 Murder of Danish playwright Kaj Munck January 17 British forces, in Italy, cross the Garigliano River. January 20 The Royal Air Force drops 2,300 tons of bombs on Berlin; for basic military training. In August of 1944Events World War II January January 4 The Battle of Monte Cassino begins. January 5 Murder of Danish playwright Kaj Munck January 17 British forces, in Italy, cross the Garigliano River. January 20 The Royal Air Force drops 2,300 tons of bombs on Berlin; his training was finished and he sailed to France, arriving on the 20th of the same month.

In France, Slovik was part of a group of twelve reinforcements assigned to Company G, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. While enroute to the unit, the reinforcements became lost during an artillery attack. Slovik and another private, John Tankey, found a Canadian unit the next morning, which they unofficially remained with for the next six weeks in a rear area. Tankey wrote to the 109th explaining their absence and the two privates reported to their unit on October 7. No charges were filed.

On October 8, Slovik told 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 also told Grotte he would run away if assigned to a rifle unit and asked if that would be desertion. Grotte told him it would be desertion and refused his request for reassignment. Slovik was assigned to a rifle platoon.

On October 9, Slovik went to an MP and gave him a confession in which he wrote he was going to "run away again" if he was sent into combat. Slovik was brought before Lieutenant Colonel Ross Henbest, who offered Slovik an 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.

Slovik was taken into custody and confined to the division stockade. The divisional judge advocate, Lt Col Henry Summer, again offered Slovik an opportunity to rejoin his unit and have the charges suspended. He also offered Slovik a transfer to another infantry regiment. Slovik declined these offers and said, "I've made up my mind. I'll take my court martial."

The 28th Division was scheduled to begin an attack on the Hurtgen Forest. The attack was common knowledge in the unit, as was the fact that casualties were expected to be very high. The rates for desertion and other crimes were rising and many men were indicating they preferred to be imprisoned rather than remain in combat.

Slovik was charged with desertion to avoid hazardous duty and was tried on November 11, 1944. The court martial took an hour and forty minutes. The prosecutor, Captain John Green, brought forth the witnesses to whom Slovik had stated his intent 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 .

Slovik wrote a letter to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme allied commander, pleading for clemency, but desertion had become a problem and Eisenhower ordered the execution during the closing days of World War II in order to deter other potential deserters. Slovik's death by firing squad sentence for desertion under fire was carried out at 10:04 on January 31, 1945, near the village of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines .

He was originally buried in the Oise-Aisne Cemetery, Fere-en-Tardenois , France, a secret cemetery, along with 94 other American soldiers executed for crimes such as rape and murder and whose headstones bore only numbers and not names, but in 1987, 42 years after Slovik's execution, his remains were returned to Michigan and reburied next to his wife Antoinette.

The story of his execution was made into a 1974 made-for-television motion picture (The Execution of Private Slovik) with actor Martin Sheen in the role of Private Slovik.