Here's a guy you never hear about in the history books: On this day 65 years ago, Edward Donald Slovik, age 24, was executed by American troops in World War II for the crime of desertion. Slovik, who told his officers he was "too scared" to serve in a rifle division, even offering to serve his country in a rear unit, was repeatedly denied his request to not serve in the front lines. So, he deserted and retreated to safer ground.

Expecting a dishonorable discharge and a jail sentence, followed by a plane ticket back to America to return home to his wife, he turned himself in, which seemed a far safer option than facing the heavy shelling on the front lines. However, military officials, angered by his repeated displays of defiance and looking for an example to make to discourage other potential deserters, had him tried in a military court, where he was convicted of desertion, and sentenced to execution by firing squad. Pleas up the chain of command for clemency were ignored, with even Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower confirming the execution.

Slovik was executed by firing squad on January 31, 1945, and buried in a hidden grave in France marked only by a number. His wife, Antoinette, would spend the rest of her life petitioning the government to have her husband pardoned and his remains returned to the US, until she died in 1979. It wasn't until 1987 when fellow World War II veterans were able to convince Ronald Reagan to have Eddie's remains transferred back to the US and reburied next to his wife, though he was never pardoned for his "crime."

"I was born for dying."