Legal Executions by the United States Military

During the two decades following entry into World War II, nearly 30 million men and women served in or worked for the United States military. Tens of thousands faced a general court-martial under the Articles of War, which prescribed either life in prison or death for crimes of murder, rape or desertion. Only 160 men were sentenced to death and executed—159 for murder or rape (or a combination of the two), and one for desertion. The manner of death was by firing squad or by hanging. These dishonored servicemen were buried in various locations around the world. Later, nearly all were moved to grave sites in military cemeteries, segregated from those who died honorably. This book tells the stories of the men, their crimes and their executions.

R. Michael Wilson has been researching and writing about the history of the American West for more than a decade. A retired law enforcement officer, he is the author of numerous books on crime and capital punishment. He lives in Henderson, Nevada.

R. Michael Wilson
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 266
Bibliographic Info: bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2022
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8882-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4608-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Preface 1
Introduction 3
European Theater of Operations 7
Mediterranean Theater of Operations 109
North African Theater of Operations 145
Pacific Theater of Operations 151
United States 186
Epilogue 233
Bibliography 243
Index 245

“Reverent, heartfelt—genuflecting… emotional-provoking”—Argunners Magazine