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Since 1776, the United States military has conducted several hundred executions of military personnel. An estimated 459 [1] of these executions occurred between 1861-1961. 160 of these executions are reported by the federal government to have taken place between 1942 and 1961. At least six executions of military personnel are pending[2], with two cases awaiting Presidential action.
In addition, the United States military has conducted numerous executions of assassins, prisoners of war, saboteurs, spies and war criminals. At present, the United States claims the right to execute terrorists convicted of war crimes before military commissions, although no suspect has been sentenced to death, or executed.
Revolutionary War Period
[edit]Estimates of executions carried out by the Continental Army typically range from 40 to a high of one hundred.
War of 1812
[edit]During the War of 1812, the United States Army reportedly executed 205 servicemen (mostly deserters) [3]. There were 3 executions in 1812, 32 in 1813, 146 in 1814 [4] and 24 in 1815 [5].
Naval Executions
[edit]The United States Navy has apparently conducted some seventeen executions [6] of naval personnel (sailors and marines) throughout its' history, the most famous of these being the summary hangings [7] of alleged mutineers aboard the USS Somers. Although naval courts continue to adjudge sentences of death for capital crimes[8], no sailor or marine or other person in naval service has been executed since 1849[9]. Two marines currently await potential execution on convictions for premeditated murder [10].
The United States Navy has also executed a number of Japanese nationals on charges of war crimes for acts committed in the Pacific theater of operations during the Second World War. One study cites a figure of ten hangings carried out on Guam between 1947-1949. The official Marine Corps History of Operations offers an alternative figure of thirteen executions conducted by the Navy on Guam.
Name Rank Offense Year of Execution William Galligher Seaman Murder 1799 Daniel Mckenny Marine Desertion 1812 William Johnson Seaman Mutiny 1813 James Bird Marine Desertion 1814 James Rankin Marine Desertion 1814 John Monroe Marine Desertion 1814 William Bunnett Marine Desertion 1814 Robert Elixson Seaman Desertion 1814 Thomas Smith Marine Desertion 1817 William Boyington Marine Murder 1817 Thomas Allen Landsman? Murder 1836 Philip Spencer Midshipman Mutiny 1 December1842 Elisha Small Seaman Mutiny 1 December 1842 [11] Samuel Cromwell Boatswain Mutiny 1 December 1842 Samuel Jackson Seaman Mutiny 17 September 1846 [12] Peter Black Seaman Mutiny 23 October 1849[13] John Black Seaman Mutiny 23 October 1849[14]
Mexican War
[edit]Approximately fifty American servicemen were hanged or shot during the Mexican War.
Civil War
[edit]Historians citing [15] official records report that 267 executions were conducted by military authorities during the Civil War; a more comprehensive study [16] documents at least 275.
Indian Wars
[edit]38 Indians were executed during the South Dakota uprising of 1862. Four Indians were tried by military commission and hanged after the Modoc War in 1873. Three Indian Scouts were hanged after court-martial in 1882.
The Philippine-American War, 1899-1902
[edit]During the Philippine-American War, several members of the United States Army were executed. One enlisted man serving in the Philippines was executed for murder in the year ending June 30th, 1901. [17] Three enlisted men, also serving in the Philippines, were executed for murder during the year ending June 30, 1902.[18]
In this same period, the Judge-Advocate-General of the United States Army [19] reported that approximately two hundred and forty four individuals, mostly natives of the Philippines, were executed after trial by military commissions. Five persons were executed during the year ending June 30, 1900,[20], about 101 persons were executed during the year ending June 30, 1901, [21], approximately 128 people were executed during the year ending June 30, 1902, [22] and a further 10 persons were executed during the year ending June 30, 1903. [23]
First World War
[edit]Official reports tabulate a total of 35 military executions in the United States Army, 25 in the United States and 10 in France. Congressional investigations revealed that 11 hangings actually took place in France over 1917-1919.
Second World War
[edit]147 executions were carried out by the United States Army between 1942-1948, with most of them (141) being conducted over 1942-1945.
Executions of German POWs during Second World War
[edit]In 1945, the United States Army executed [86] fourteen German Prisoners of war by hanging at the United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. These POWs, members of the German Armed services, had been convicted by general court-martial for the murders of fellow Germans believed by their fellow inmates to be collaborating as confidential informants with the United States military authorities. These hangings at the United States Disciplinary Barracks were carried out in an warehouse elevator shaft which had been converted into a temporary gallows. The fourteen Germans were subsequently buried in the Fort Leavenworth Military Prison Cemetery.
Name Age Date of Execution Name of Victim Offence Walter Beyer 32 10 July 1945 Johannes Kunze Murder Hans Demme 23 10 July 1945 Johannes Kunze Murder Hans Schomer 27 10 July 1945 Johannes Kunze Murder Willie Scholz 22 10 July 1945 Johannes Kunze Murder Berthold Seidel 30 10 July 1945 Johannes Kunze Murder Erich Gauss 14 July 1945 Horst Günther Murder Rudolph Straub 14 July 1945 Horst Günther Murder Helmut Fischer 25 August 1945 Werner Drechsler Murder Fritz Franke 25 August 1945 Werner Drechsler Murder Guenther Kuelsen 25 August 1945 Werner Drechsler Murder Heinrich Ludwig 25 August 1945 Werner Drechsler Murder Bernard Reyak 25 August 1945 Werner Drechsler Murder Otto Stengel 25 August 1945 Werner Drechsler Murder Rolf Wizuy 25 August 1945 Werner Drechsler Murder
Air Force Executions
[edit]Three members of the United States Air Force have been executed by hanging[87]. These executions were carried out under a short-lived revised version of the Articles of War popularly known as the Elston Act of 1948 (Sullivan, 2002).
Name Race Date of Execution Location Offence Robert E. Keller [88] [89] [90] Unknown [91] 11 March 1950 Yokohama, Japan Murder Robert Burns [92] Black 28 January 1954 Guam Murder and rape Herman Dennis, Jr. [94] [95] Black 28 January 1954 Guam Murder and rape
Executions under the Uniform Code of Military justice
[edit]A total of ten military executions (all by hanging) have been carried out by the United States Army under the provisions of the original Uniform Code of Military Justice of 5 May 1950. The first four[96] of these executions were carried out by military officials at the Kansas State Penitentiary near Lansing, Kansas. The remaining six executions [97] were conducted in the boiler room [98] of the United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Name Race Date of Sentencing Date of Execution Location Offence Bernard J. O'Brien [99] White 19 June 1952 31 July 1954 Kansas State Penitentiary Premeditated murder Chastine Beverly [100] Black 10 October 1951 1 March 1955 Kansas State Penitentiary Robbery, premeditated murder Louis M. Suttles[101] Black 10 October 1951 1 March 1955 Kansas State Penitentiary Robbery, premeditated murder James L. Riggins [102] Black 10 October 1951 1 March 1955 Kansas State Penitentiary Robbery, premeditated murder Thomas J. Edwards [103] Black 1 April 1953 14 February 1957 United States Disciplinary Barracks Premeditated murder Winfred D. Moore [104]
Black 19 August 1953 14 February 1957 United States Disciplinary Barracks Murder, assault with intent to commit robbery Ernest L. Ranson [105] Black 5 June 1953 3 April 1957 United States Disciplinary Barracks Lifting weapon against superior officer, premeditated murder, rape, robbery, 2 counts of assault with dangerous weapon Abraham Thomas Black 15 April 1954 23 July 1958 United States Disciplinary Barracks Four counts premeditated murder John E. Day, Jr.[106] Black 1 October 1951 23 September 1959 United States Disciplinary Barracks Murder, premeditated assault with attempt to do bodily harm with dangerous weapon, assault John A. Bennett Black 8 February 1955 13 April 1961 United States Disciplinary Barracks Rape, premeditated attempted murder
Pending Executions
[edit]Six servicemen [107] currently await execution by lethal injection at Fort Leavenworth's USDB.
Name Service Race Offense Remarks Kenneth Parker Marine Corps Black Murder Appellate review Wade L. Walker Marine Corps Black Murder Appellate review Ronald Gray Army Black Murder Awaiting Presidential action Dwight J. Loving Army Black Murder Awaiting DuBay hearing Asan Akbar Army Black Murder Appellate review Andrew Witt Air Force White Murder Appellate review
References
[edit]BOOKS
- Alotta, Robert L. (1989), Civil War Justice: Union Army Executions under Lincoln, Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Publishing Co., Inc., ISBN 0-942597-10-9.
- Hickey, Donald R. (1989), The War of 1812, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-252-01613-0.
- Landrum, Francis S. (1988), Guardhouse, Gallows and Grave, Klamath Falls, Oregon: Klamath County Museum, ISBN 0-9619719-0-8.
- Lilly, J. Robert (2007), Taken by Force: Rape and American GIs in Europe during WWII, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 023050647X.
- Luszki, Walter A. (1991), A Rape of Justice; MacArthur and the New Guinea Hangings, Lanham, Md.: Madison Books, ISBN 0-8191-8348-2.
- Melton Jr., Buckner F. (2003), A Hanging Offense: The Strange Affair of the Warship Somers, New York: Free Press, ISBN 978-0743232838.
- Richards, Peter Judson (2007), Extraordinary Justice: Military Tribunals in Historical and International Context, New York: New York University Press, ISBN 0-8147-7591-2
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- Valle, James E. (1980), Rocks & Shoals: Order and Discipline in the Old Navy, 1800-1861, Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0870215388.
- Whittingham, Richard (1997), Martial Justice: The Last Mass Execution in the United States, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, ISBN 978-1557509451.
- Wiley, Bell Irvin (1978), Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, ISBN 0-8071-0476-0.
ARTICLES
- Sullivan, Dwight H. (2002), "Executive Branch Consideration of Military Death Sentences", in Fidell, Eugene R.; Sullivan, Dwight H. (eds.), Evolving Military Justice, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, ISBN 1-55750-292-7.
GOVERNMENT REPORTS
- Court Martial Reports; Holdings and Decisions of the Courts of Military Review and United States Court of Military Appeals, vol. 8, Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company., 1953.
- Court Martial Reports; Holdings and Decisions of the Courts of Military Review and United States Court of Military Appeals, vol. 9, Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company., 1953.
- Court Martial Reports; Holdings and Decisions of the Courts of Military Review and United States Court of Military Appeals, vol. 11, Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company., 1953.
- Court Martial Reports; Holdings and Decisions of the Courts of Military Review and United States Court of Military Appeals, vol. 12, Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company., 1953.
- Court Martial Reports; Holdings and Decisions of the Courts of Military Review and United States Court of Military Appeals, vol. 13, Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company., 1953.
- U.S. Dep't of Air Force (1950), Court-Martial Reports of the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force, vol. 2, Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company..
- U.S. Dep't of Army (n.d.), Death Sentence Ledger, (unpublished working paper, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army) (on file with Death Penalty Information Center)
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- U.S. Dep't of Army (n.d.), Executed Death Cases before 1951, (unpublished working paper, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Army) (on file with Death Penalty Information Center)
{{citation}}: Text "1-3" ignored (help).
- U.S. Dep't of Army (1946?), History of the JAG Branch Office, U.S. Forces, European Theater, 18 July 1942 to 1 Nov. 1945: n.a., Vol. 1–2, St. Cloud, France: Branch Office of the JAG-ETO
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- U.S. Dep't of Army (1899), Report of the Judge-Advocate-General, U.S.A. to the Secretary of War for the Year ending June 30th, 1899, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- U.S. Dep't of Army (1900), Report of the Judge-Advocate-General, U.S.A. to the Secretary of War for the Year ending June 30th, 1900, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- U.S. Dep't of Army (1901), Report of the Judge-Advocate-General, U.S.A. to the Secretary of War for the Year ending June 30th, 1901, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- U.S. Dep't of Army (1902), Report of the Judge-Advocate-General, U.S.A. to the Secretary of War for the Year ending June 30th, 1902, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- U.S. Dep't of Army (1903), Report of the Judge-Advocate-General, U.S.A. to the Secretary of War for the Year ending June 30th, 1903, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
PERIODICALS
- Null, Gary D. (1996), "Air Force Executions", The Reporter, 23 (1): 33–34.
- Sullivan, Dwight H. (1994), "The Last Line of Defense: Federal Habeas Review of Military Death Cases" (PDF), Military Law Review, vol. 144, no. April, pp. 1–76, retrieved 2007-10-04.
- Sullivan, Dwight H. (1998), "Playing the Numbers: Court-martial Panel Size and the Military Death Penalty" (PDF), Military Law Review, vol. 158, no. December, pp. 1–47, retrieved 2007-10-04.
- Sullivan, Dwight H. (2007), "Killing Time: Two Decades of Military Capital Litigation" (PDF), Military Law Review, vol. 189, no. January, pp. 8–50, retrieved 2007-10-04.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Sullivan (1998), p.12, n.45
- ^ Sullivan (2007), p.1
- ^ Hickey (1989), p. 303
- ^ Hickey (1989), p. 222
- ^ Hickey (1989), p. 407, n. 14
- ^ Valle, p. 103
- ^ Melton, JR., pp. 142-153
- ^ Sullivan (2002), pp.144
- ^ Valle, pp. 105-108
- ^ Sullivan (2007), p.1
- ^ Valle, p. 108
- ^ Valle, p. 1118
- ^ Valle, p. 108
- ^ Valle, p. 108
- ^ See Wiley (1978), p. 205 for a typical example
- ^ Alotta, p. 186
- ^ Report, Judge-Advocate (1901), p. 9
- ^ Report, Judge-Advocate (1902), p. 7
- ^ , Major General Geo.B. Davis, see (Report, Judge-Advocate, (1903), p.7
- ^ Report, Judge-Advocate (1900), p. 9
- ^ Report, Judge-Advocate (1901), p. 11
- ^ Report, Judge-Advocate (1902), p. 8
- ^ Report, Judge-Advocate (1903), p. 7
- ^ History Branch Office of the Judge Advocate General, European Theater of Operations, 18 July 1942 to 1 Nov. 1945: n.a., Vol. 1–2, St. Cloud, France: Branch Office of the JAG-ETO, Appendice 83, p.557. Hereafter HBO/JAG, Appendixe 83, p.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.557.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.558.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendx 83, p.558.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.559.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.557.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.5570.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.5570.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.570.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.572.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.570-571.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.570-571.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.560.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.5574-575.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.574-575.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.572.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.572-573.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.5574.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.560.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.577.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.577.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.561-562.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.557.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.581.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.5581.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.5578.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.563.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.579.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.579.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.583-585.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.560-561.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.571.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.576-577.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.576-577.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.576-577.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.579-580.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.582.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.582-583.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.582-583.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.5566.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.565-566.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.568.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.567.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.568.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.563.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.574.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.567.
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.562-563.
- ^ Private Robert Davidson (3252183), 823d Amphibian Truck Company, Camp Gordon Johnston, Florida
- ^ Private Clinton Stevenson (38147920), Company B, Fifth Replacement Battalion, Army Service Forces Personnel Replacement Depot, Camp Beale, California
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.565.
- ^ Private Herbert W. Reid (33813129), Company C, 5th Replacement Battalion, Army Service Forces Personnel Replacement Depot, Camp Beale, California
- ^ Private Lee R. Davis, 385011612, Company D, 13224th Engineer General Service Regiment, Camp Claiborne, Louisiana
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.566.
- ^ Edward J. Reichl (36346011), 653rd Signal Air Warning Company
- ^ HBO/JAG, Appendix 83, p.568-569.
- ^ Private Garlon Mickles (38510064), 22804th Quartermaster Truck Company
- ^ Corporal James Norman (341951904), 3664th Quartermaster Truck Company
- ^ Sergeant William Abney, RA 33083663, 897th Quartermaster Laundry Company
- ^ General Prisoner Manuel Martinez
- ^ Action by the President of the United States (23 March 1948) (on file at Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri {Papers of Harry S. Truman, Official File])
- ^ Private Stratman Armistead, (RA 34413881), Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (Pipeline), 14th Replacement Battalion, Fourth Replacement Depot
- ^ Whittingham, pp. 237-255
- ^ Null, p. 33
- ^ Action by the President of the United States (18 Jan. 1950) (on file at Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri {Papers of Harry S. Truman, Official File])
- ^ Private First Class Robert E. Keller, AF 15243356, 4th Air Supply Squadron at 2 C.M.R. (A.F.) 538 (1950)
- ^ Sullivan (2002), pp.137-138
- ^ Neither 2 C.M.R. (A.F.) 538, Sullivan (2002) or Null, Air Force Executions contains any mention of Keller's race or a reference to a NAACP petition for clemency in his case; one might reasonably conjecture, therefore, that he was probably white.
- ^ Action by the President of the United States (3 August 1951) (on file at Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri {Papers of Harry S. Truman, Official File])
- ^ Staff Sergeant Robert Wesley Burns, AF 39341855, 12th Air Ammunition Squadron
- ^ Action by the President of the United States (3 August 1951) (on file at Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri {Papers of Harry S. Truman, Official File])
- ^ Private Herman P. Dennis, Jr,. AF 18101483, 12th Air Ammunition Squadron
- ^ Death Sentence Ledger, pp. 2-3
- ^ Death Sentence Ledger, pp. 4-5
- ^ Sullivan (1994), p.1
- ^ Warrant Officer Junior Grade Bernard J. O'Brien, W-2143467, Detachment, 374th Convalescent Center, Degerndorf, Military Sub Post, APO 108, at United States v. O'Brien, 9 C.M.R. 201 (A.B.R. 1953)
- ^ Private Chastine Beverly, US 5206337, Company C, 15th Medium Tank Battalion, Combat Command B, 6th Armored Division, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri at United States v. Riggins and Beverly, 8 C.M.R. 496 (A.B.R. 1952)
- ^ Private Louis M. Suttles, US 53066642, Company A, 15th Medium Tank Battalion, Combat Command B, 6th Armored Division, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri at United States v. Riggins and Beverly, 8 C.M.R. 496 (A.B.R. 1952)
- ^ Private James L. Riggins, RA 14414472, Company A, 15th Medium Tank Battalion, Combat Command B, 6th Armored Division, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri at United States v. Riggins and Beverly, 8 C.M.R. 496 (A.B.R. 1952)
- ^ Private E-2 Thomas J. Edwards, RA 18384084, Company A, 1st Engineer Combat Battalion at United States v. Edwards, 11 C.M.R. 350 (A.B.R. 1953)
- ^ Private Winfred D. Moore, RA 13420553, Company F, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, Carolina at United States v. Moore, 13 C.M.R. 311 (A.B.R. 1953)
- ^ Private Ernest L. Ransom, US 53104206, Battery C, 933d Antiacraft Artilliery Automatic Weapons Battalion, APO 971 at United States v. Ransom, 12 C.M.R. 480 (A.B. R. 1953)
- ^ Private E-2 John E. Day, Jr. RA 13233886, 46th Transportation Truck Company at United States v. Day, 8 C.M.R. 424 (A.B.R. 1952)
- ^ Sullivan (2007), p.1