he is army private from detroit named eddie slovik.was killed by firing squad january 31, 1945, making him the american soldier, the only -- the first american soldier to be court-martialed and executed for desertion since the american civil war. talk about him and the number of people who deserted and then was -- who was actually punished. >> eddie slovik never actually fought. she arrived in france well after d-day. he was sent as an infantry replacement to an area he did not know anyone and would not knowing when. as soon as he arrives, he came under severe shelling. he was deeply shocked. you are shaken. you probably should have been sent medially for medical treatment and might have been able to serve after that. in the event was so frightened, he told his officers that he could not fight and he wouldn't fight and was incapable of it. they then were forced to court-martial him. he was convicted and sentenced to death, as many -- as 48 others were. but when he launched his appeal i'm a the timing couldn't of been worse because the