What are the Catholic Ethics of Military Execution?

I am not sure when we stopped this practice of executing deserters and other rowdy military folks as a regular activity but I guess it is fair to say we have. I don't recall recently any general rounding up these guys giving them a cig and blindfold and then bang. At least not in my life time or from what I read as too even Vietnam. Did we do it in WWII even?

What are the Catholic ethics here. I know the Catholic Church does not look kindly on State Execution nowadays. However does not that apply in all cases as we have seen in the military. I am not sure. Are the arguments even the same?

Anyway here is a good article on CIVIL WAR executions that also involves a couple of unfortunate guys from the famed Louisiana Tiger Brigade. See Executing Justice .

CIVIL WAR MEMORY has something realted here also at Shooting Deserters in Civil War Times