The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Execution of Pvt. Eddie Slovik (1/1945) - September 4th, 2004

see educational sources

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The Execution of Pvt. Eddie Slovik



WWII

On Jan. 31, 1945, Hamtramck-born Eddie Slovik was executed by firing a squad near the village of Ste-Marie aux Mines for the crime of desertion. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme allied commander, personally ordered the execution during the closing days of World War II in order to deter other potential deserters.

During World War II, 21,049 American military personel were convicted of desertion, 49 were sentenced to death, but only Pvt. Slovik paid the ultimate price. In fact, he was the only American soldier to be executed for desertion since the American Civil War.

Controversy swirled around the case from the very beginning, prompting William Bradford Huie to write a book, "The Execution of Private Slovik", in 1954. It became a best seller, and was made into a television movie in 1974.

Slovik, the son of immigrants, spent much of his youth in the Michigan Reformatory School for stealing candy, chewing gum and cigarettes from the Cunningham drugstore where he worked.

After his parole from reform school in 1942, he went to work at Montella Plumbing Co. in Dearborn, where he met Antoinette Wisniewski. They were married Nov 7, 1942, and after a three-day celebration that featured an overworked bar and 200 guests dancing to "The Beer Barrel Polka, " they moved in with Antoinette's parents in Dearborn.

When Eddie got a job at the old DeSoto plant, they got their own duplex. For the next twelve months, Eddie and Antoinette were, for the most part, happy and secure in the belief that ex-convicts would not be drafted. Slovik had been classified 4F because of his prison record, but was reclassifed 1A during a military manpower shortage and received his draft notice shortly after the couple's first wedding anniversary.


Eddie and Antoinette on their wedding day in 1942.

Slovik appeared frail, timid and somewhat of a misfit, definitely not military material. But on January 24, 1944, he was sent to Camp Wolters in Texas for his basic training.

Slovik made no secret of his unwillingness to enter combat, but his pleas to be reassigned to noncombat status were rejected. Bitterly unhappy, he tried to forget his sorrow by writing long letters to Antoinette. During his 372 days in the Army, he wrote 376 letters, most of them from Camp Wolters. The letters contained the outpourings of a man in distress.

Here Are Excerpts:


Antoinette Slovik in 1974.

Jan. 26, 1944

Mommy, I am sorry without you... I think I'm going to have a lot of trouble. Army life don't agree with me.

Jan. 31

I am in the infantry for 17 weeks and after that I don't know where I am going... Honest honey, I feel like crying every time I sit down to write you a letter... I am so unlucky.

Feb. 24


Eddie Slovik's remains are placed in a hearse by a funeral home worker July 11, 1987. The casket, lost in transit on its way from France, arrived at Metro a day late. The remains were reburied in Woodmere Cemetery alongside his wife, Antoinette.

You are sick darling, but what am I going to do? Oh, darling, I don't know what to do to be with you again. I am so dam sick and tired of this place. I feel like going AWOL. I'm sorry I didn't go to jail for six months, then I know you could come to see me anytime you wanted to.

Last letter

Everything happens to me. I've never had a streak of luck in my life. The only luck I had in my life was when I married you. I knew it wouldn't last because I was too happy. I knew they would not let me be happy.

Slovik made it clear he did not consider himself a fighting man. He feared weapons so much that his drill instructors had to furnish him with dummy grenades and escort him through the infiltration course.

Sent to the front lines in France after the June 1944 invasion, Slovik first deserted the night of Aug. 25 when his rifle company came under heavy shelling. In October, Canadian forces captured him and returned him to his unit, the 28th Division. His officers warned that if he left again, he would be charged with desertion in the face of the enemy. Several days later he was gone, this time turning himself in to authorities in Belgium. He signed a confession and declared himself unwilling to fight.

Slovik was court-martialed for desertion under fire and sentenced to death by firing squad. His execution was carried out in the closing months of World War II, his wife totally unaware of the sentence. The army denied responsiblity, claiming that Slovik himself should have notified her.


Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered that Slovik's execution be carried out to avoid further desertions in the late stages of the war.

At his execution, a member of the firing squad said to him, "Try to take it easy, Eddie. Try to make it easy on yourself---and on us."

"Don't worry about me," Slovik replied. "I'm okay. They're not shooting me for deserting the United Stated Army---thousands of guys have done that. They're shooting me for bread I stole when I was 12 years old."

He was buried in France, in a secret cemetery with 94 American soldiers executed for the crimes of rape and murder.

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[snippy_about_it]

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Determined to right what she was certain was a horrible wrong, Antoinette vainly petitioned seven presidents to have her dead husband pardoned. It seemed so unfair that so many others convicted of the same crime were not executed. Why only one soldier, why her husband alone? She worked relentlessly to clear his record and to claim his body until her own death in 1979.


American soldiers drive an anti-aircraft truck through a bombed-out French city in 1944. Slovik deserted twice in France, once being arrested and returned by Canadian troops, the second time surrendering in Belgium.

She also waged a long and unsuccessful effort to collect Slovik's insurance death benefit. It was denied to her because Slovik died under dishonorable circumstances. After her death, Congress finally considered legislation that would have allowed her to receive benefits.

She spent her final days at Medicos Nursing Home in Detroit, living on Social Security disability. She suffered from heart problems, and was being treated for breast cancer.

Bernard V. Calka, a Polish American WWII veteran, took up Antoinette's campaign after her death. He spent several years lobbying and spent about $8,000 of his own money to have Slovik's remains returned to Michigan in 1987. Forty-two years after Slovik's execution, Calka had his remains reburied next to wife Antoinette in Detroit's Woodmere Cemetery.


Eisenhower addresses American troops on the western front in the latter days of the war.

Calka wrote repeatedly to Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Bill Clinton, and has contacted congressmen in his continuing battle for a federal pardon for Slovik, who was described by his widow as "the unluckiest kid that ever lived."

Author Huie mused "...why had I bothered to travel so far, to ask so many questions, all just to know one dishonored Polack private from Detroit?...Nobody knew about (the tragedy of) Eddie Slovik: he has been a secret...And I knew that his experience is the most unusual of any citizen who has borne arms for the United States within my lifetime.

"Private Slovik was killed by the United States for the crime of refusing to serve the United States with a rifle and a bayonet, for desertion to avoid the hazardous duty of close combat; and..the only American to be executed for such an offense."


Anna Kadlubski, eldest sister of Eddie Slovik, stands with her husband John as Slovik was reburied after his remains were returned in 1987.

Story by Zena Simmons / The Detroit News

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Today's Educational Sources and suggestions for further reading:

www.historynet.com/wwii/blslovik/

[snippy_about_it]

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[snippy_about_it]

John Kerry told the world we were war criminals who raped, tortured and murdered in Vietnam. Now, thirty-three years later, we will tell America the truth.

Join us at the rally we call:

What: A peaceful remembrance of those with whom we served in Vietnam - those who lived and those who died.
We will tell the story of their virtues and how that contrasts with the lies told by John Kerry.

When: Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004 @ 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Where: The West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC

All Vietnam veterans and their families and supporters are asked to attend. Other veterans are invited as honored guests. This will be a peaceful event--no shouting or contact with others with different opinions. We fought for their rights then, and we respect their rights now. This is NOT a Republican or a pro-Bush rally. Democrats, Republicans and independents alike are warmly invited.

Our gathering is to remember those with whom we served, thereby giving the lie to John Kerry's smear against a generation of fine young men. B.G. "Jug" Burkett, author of "Stolen Valor," will be one of our speakers. Jug has debunked countless impostors who falsely claimed to be Vietnam veterans or who falsely claimed awards for heroism. Jug recommends that we refrain from dragging fatigues out of mothballs. Dress like America, like you do every day. Dress code: business casual, nice slacks, and shirt and shoes. No uniform remnants, please. Unit hats OK.

Selected members will wear badges identifying them as authorized to speak to the media about our event. Others who speak to the media will speak only for themselves.

The program will be controlled in an attempt to stay on-message. Speakers are encouraged not to engage in speculative criticism of John Kerry but (1) to stick to known and undisputed facts about John Kerry’s lies while (2) reminding America of the true honor and courage of our brothers in battle in Vietnam.

Send this announcement to 10 or more of your brothers! Bring them by car, bus, train or plane! Make this event one of pride in America, an event you would be proud to have your mother or your children attend.

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



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[SAMWolf]

I saw the movie. IIRC, it was slanted to the view that Pvt. Slovak hadn't deserted but he was only AWOL and just had to have the misfortune of being selected "to be made an example of".

[snippy_about_it]

There seems to be two sides to this story yet it's clear he didn't want to be where he was. Then again I'm sure most others wished they didn't have to be there either.

[alfa6]

Sad Bump for the Saturday Foxhole

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[A Jovial Cad]

Interesting history, thanks for posting it. I saw the movie years ago, but never knew the back-story. The lead role of Private Slovik was played, if memory serves, by Martin Sheen--an apt choice if there ever was one for such a production.
As to the guy in the story whom has spent countless hours & dollars to get Private Slovik a "pardon," I only have this to say: my grandfather was an U.S. Army Air Corps. veteran ('42-'45, Pacific Theater) whom saw the thing through to the end, and who made that sacrifice though he desperately wanted to be home with his family TOO. I have little sympathy for Private Slovik. Perhaps if the guy who died in his stead on the front lines could somehow be resurrected and asked to offer an opinion, and *he* then proceeded to recommend a "pardon" for this justly executed deserter at this late date, I might consider it. But otherwise, no.

[snippy_about_it]

Morning alfa6.

[snippy_about_it]

Martin Sheen--an apt choice if there ever was one for such a production.

LOL.

...my grandfather was an U.S. Army Air Corps. veteran ('42-'45, Pacific Theater) whom saw the thing through to the end...We are grateful for you grandfather's service.

If there were a lot of deserters as this article suggests there must have been more to the story to have this one executed, but I guess they had to start somewhere, and this guy signed the paper. I don't think he thought they would go through with it.

[alfa6]

Good Morning back at ya snippy.

Did y'all get them there newfangled CD thingies?

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[alfa6]

And a good morning to SAM as well, one of these nights I will get to sleep all the way through.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[SAMWolf]

Morning alfa6.

[SAMWolf]

one of these nights I will get to sleep all the way through.

I know that feeling!!

[snippy_about_it]

Not yet. :-(

[SAMWolf]

Morning A Jovial Cad.

You're right, it was Martin Sheen.

[alfa6]

Dang nab it...

Mrs alfa6 mailed them out priority mail last Monday. I should have the other two CD's done in a week or so so I will resend them if they haven't shown up.

Dang Snail mail

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[snippy_about_it]

We didn't check the mail today, so it could be there tomorrow when we check.

[A Jovial Cad]

I think you're right--there is probably more to this story than history has revealed to us. But, to be honest, I still don't have much use for Private Slovik.
On behalf of my grandfather, who passed away in 1986, let me say I appreciate your heartfelt gratitude for his service. He was a member of the 5th Air Force, 49th Fighter Group, 8th Squadron (sometimes called the 8th "Pursuit" Squadron) from October of 1942 until December of 1945. As I understand it, his squadron started out with P-40's and eventually flew P-38's for the duration of the war.
He took literally hundreds and hundreds of original pictures that my father (a peacetime USAF vet, as am I) is now in the process of having restored and blown up for our family history. One of them is a picture of General Douglas MacArthur that my grandfather snapped from about a foot away: I should really scan that pic in and post it sometime.
Anyway, he was a good and honorable man, whom I deeply miss--and a wonderful grandfather. Perhaps my objective judgment of Private Slovik's fate has been clouded by my memories of my grandfather's pride in having served without either apology or excuse.
I think this is a great forum on FR; is there a *ping list to this? Thanks.

[A Jovial Cad]

What in the world was that "comment #13" that had to be removed by the moderator about? I missed it.