January 31, 1945: The Execution of Eddie Slovik

January 31, 1945: Private Edward Slovik is executed for desertion. He remains the only American serviceman executed by his own country since the Civil War.

Slovik was born on February 18, 1920 in Detroit. He was first arrested at age 12, for breaking and entering. He served a year in prison from 1937 to 1938, and 3 years from 1939 to 1942.

After getting out, he got a job at a plumbing company, and got married. His criminal record originally made him classified as "morally unfit for duty." But as World War II dragged on, and the U.S. Army needed more men, he was reclassified as fit for duty in 1944, and drafted.

He was sent to France, to a rifle platoon unit. He got scared, and deserted on October 9. When he was caught, he made a complete confession, saying he didn't want to fight anymore. He had been in jails before, and fully expected to be sent to prison, which he considered preferable to dying in combat.

Instead, on November 11, in a court-martial lasting less than a day, he was convicted, and was sentenced to death, which is the traditional penalty for desertion. Terrified, on December 9, he wrote a letter to the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, asking for clemency. "Ike" didn't get the letter until after the Battle of the Bulge began, and he needed to discourage further desertions, so he upheld the sentence on December 23.

On January 31, 1945, near the village of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, near the German border, Slovik told the soldiers preparing him for execution, "They're not shooting me for deserting the United States Army. Thousands of guys have done that. They just need to make an example out of somebody, and I'm it, because I'm an ex-con. I used to steal things when I was a kid, and that's what they are shooting me for. They're shooting me for the bread and chewing gum I stole when I was 12 years old."

In 1960, Frank Sinatra wanted to make a movie out of the story -- although, at 44 years old, he was already much too old to play the part himself. Needing his support, but not wanting the controversy, John F. Kennedy, then the Democratic nominee for President, talked him out of it.

In 1974, The Executive of Private Slovik aired on NBC, but it was made without Sinatra's involvement. It starred Martin Sheen, who, at 34, also too old for the part. He would go on to play JFK in an NBC miniseries 9 years later. Sheen played Slovik as terrified at his execution, reciting "The Lord's Prayer" through his tears, before the firing squad did their duty.

In fact, according to Father Carl Cummings, the priest attending the execution, Slovik was calm. Cummings told him, "Eddie, when you get up there, say a little prayer for me." And Slovik said, "Okay, Father. I'll pray that you don't follow me too soon."

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January 31, 1945 was a Wednesday. New York Giants football player Al Blozis was killed in action in France on the same day. I have a separate entry for that event.

Baseball and football were out of season. The NBA hadn't been founded yet. And while the NHL season was in progress, it had no games scheduled. So there were no scores on this historic day.