Famous Deserters In US Military History

Eddie Slovik

We Are The Mighty: 4 Of The Most Famous Deserters In US Military History

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl now faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, and if he’s found guilty, he’ll join a list of U.S. military deserters throughout history that includes famous names such as Steve McQueen and Mark Twain.

We looked back and found some of the more infamous cases of soldiers deserting or going AWOL from their military service. Here’s what we found:

WNU Editor: I know of Eddie Slovik .... but the other three .... I am shocked.

The U.S. Military Has A Serious Desertion Problem

An American World War II firing squad, in this case executing a spy. YouTube/British Pathé

Tens Of Thousands Of Troops Deserting, Army Barely Prosecutes -- Daily Caller

Tens of thousands of soldiers have deserted the Army after long, drawn out deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan in dangerous conditions, but the military has proseuted just under 2,000 cases, Military.com reports.

Over 20,000 soldiers have dropped out from the ranks since 2006, but only 1,900 cases have been prosectued. In most cases, desertion is usually easy to prove. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been the main poster child for Army desertion after he abandoned his unit in 2009, only to be captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan and held for five years. A preliminary investigation in 2009 determined that he had simply walked away.

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Update: Army desertion prosecutions are rare; data show 1,900 cases pursued since 2001 -- AP

My Comment: The U.S. military is an all volunteer force .... why join up when you are going to desert. Obviously for some .... their war experiences were too much ... hence desertion.

US Marine 'Deserter' Reappears After 10 Years By Turning Himself Over To NCIS Investigators In Bahrain

Wassef Ali Hassoun (via Twitter)

The 'Mystery Marine' Finally Turns Himself In: Two-Time Deserter Accused Of Faking His Kidnapping Is In Custody After Spending 9 Years On The Run In Lebanon -- Daily Times

* Hassoun turned himself over to NCIS investigators in Bahrain, reportedly telling them that he feared for his life in Lebanon
* He was charged twice for desertion, the first when he allegedly staged his kidnapping by terrorists, the second when he fled U.S. custody in January 2005
* Family: Marine Corp. has anti-Muslim bias
* Officials say Hassoun's case is unrelated to the controversial situation of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was released May 31 in a trade with the Taliban. Bergdahl's colleagues allege that he deserted his post in June 2009

A U.S. Marine charged twice with desertion has turned himself in to U.S. custody after hiding for nine years in Lebanon, authorities said Sunday.

Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, 34, surrendered to NCIS investigators in Bahrain, reportedly telling them that he feared for his life in Lebanon.

Capt. Eric Flanagan said that Hassoun was being flown out of the Middle East to Norfolk, Virginia on Sunday. From there, he is to be moved to Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina, where authorities will decide whether or not to court-martial him.

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More News On US Marine 'Deserter' Reappearing After 10 Years

Marine who disappeared in Iraq in 2004 is back in US custody -- FOX News/AP
US Marine 'Deserter' Reappears After 10 Years -- SKY News
Marine Twice Charged With Desertion Turns Himself In -- NBC
Missing Marine, Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun Turns Himself In; Alleged Deserter Flown To Norfolk, Va. -- IBTimes

First Female Iraq War Deserter Is Jailed For 10 Months

Kimberly Rivera (Photo from blog.amnestyusa.org)

Female U.S. Army Deserter Pleads Guilty, Gets 10-Month Prison Term -- Reuters

(Reuters) - An Army private believed to be the first female U.S. soldier to seek refuge in Canada rather than return to duty in Iraq was sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to desertion, military officials in Colorado said on Tuesday.

Kimberly Rivera, who said she grew opposed to the war during a three-month tour of duty in Iraq, pleaded guilty at a court-martial proceeding in Fort Carson, Colorado, on Monday and was sentenced immediately.

In addition to the prison time, the 30-year-old private was reduced in rank, ordered to forfeit pay and benefits and received a bad conduct discharge, base spokeswoman Meghan Williams said.

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More News On The Jailing Of A U.S. Army Deserter

First Female Iraq War Resister to Be Court Martialed -- Time/AP
U.S. soldier who fled to Canada to avoid Iraq war gets 10 months in jail -- Globe and Mail/AP
Female soldier who moved to Canada admits desertion -- UPI
Woman soldier who admits deserting army to avoid Iraq deployment is sentenced to 10 months in jail -- Daily Mail
US soldier Kimberly Rivera jailed for desertion -- BBC

Army To Allow Iraq War Objector To Resign

Photo: 1st Lt. Ehren Watada poses for a photograph in his Lacey, Wash., apartment, in this Feb. 2, 2007 file photo. John Froschauer / AP

From MSNBC:

HONOLULU - The Army is allowing the first commissioned officer to be court-martialed for refusing to go to Iraq to resign from the service, his attorney said late Friday.

First Lt. Ehren Watada will be granted a discharge Oct. 2, "under other than honorable conditions," attorney Kenneth Kagan said.

Watada told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin he was happy the matter has finally been closed.

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My Comment: He got off lucky ..... very lucky.

American Deserters Not Wanted In Canada

Jeremy Hinzman, a U.S. Army deserter, has been turned down refugee status in Canada. Desertions are at the highest level since 2001. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Army Times

Canada’s New Leaf -- Newsweek

America's war deserters could always take comfort in Canada. Now, it's the country that's deserting them.

Kimberly Rivera thought joining the Army would solve her problems. Before she enlisted in 2006, she was struggling on her Wal-Mart paycheck while her husband worked odd jobs and tended their two small kids. She knew she'd be sent to Iraq, but she didn't mind. "I thought I was helping my family and helping my country," she says. But her problems only got worse; she and Mario did nothing but fight on the phone, and the war kept eating at her. In January 2007, while she was home on leave in Mesquite, Texas, she and Mario packed up their car and headed for Toronto rather than let her return to Iraq. The old junker barely made it before breaking down.

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My Comment: With Canadians dying in Afghanistan, there is very little appetite for American military deserters .... deserters from a volunteer military .... coming to Canada to make a point.

As far as I am concerned .... they should run off to another country.