January 31

Pvt. Eddie Slovik

On January 31, 1945 Pvt. Eddie Slovik became the only American executed for desertion. He was the first since the Civil War to be charged with this crime. Pvt. Slovik was a draftee originally classified as a 4-F for a prison sentence. He was later raised to a 1-A because of higher personnel needs. Because of this he was made a rifleman which was to his dismay because he hated guns.