Eddie Slovik was a private in the United States Army during World War II. He is the only U.S. soldier to have been court-martialed and executed for desertion since the American Civil War. Despite having deserted on multiple occasions, Slovik believed he would only receive a prison sentence, which he preferred over combat duty. His case remains a controversial and poignant subject in American military history, highlighting the pressures and consequences faced by soldiers in wartime.