On January 31, 1945, Pvt. Eddie Slovik of Hamtramck was executed for desertion in France during WWII. He was the first and only American soldier to be executed for desertion since the Civil War.
Sources :
Historical Society of Michigan
Michigan Historical Calendar, courtesy of the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University
World War II: Eddie Slovik Court Martial and Execution Documents
The Execution of Private Slovik wikipedia entry
Chris Walch, “The Execution of Private Slovik, 40 Years Later“, Los Angeles Review of Books, April 14, 2014
