Charles DeGlopper, Medal of Honor Hero at Hill 192 in Normandy

Jan 12 , 2026

Charles DeGlopper, Medal of Honor Hero at Hill 192 in Normandy

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone where others fell. Bullets tore past, ripping the earth, screaming death. But he wasn’t just holding ground—he held a line between chaos and his brothers’ salvation. That day, June 9, 1944, on the blood-soaked hills outside Normandy, Private DeGlopper made a choice few would dare: covering a retreat through a hail of enemy fire, he gave everything for his unit.

The Blood-Stained Boy from New York

Born in Grand Island, New York, Charlie was no stranger to hard work and loyalty. Before the war, he labored on farms, a simple, grounded life shaped by honest grit. Raised in a quiet, faith-filled home, his moral compass was clear. DeGlopper’s faith wasn’t just Sunday best—it was the armor he carried into battle.

He believed in a code older than uniforms: protect your fellow man, no matter the cost. A quiet man, he carried a fierce resolve. His comrades would later speak of him as the kind of soldier who fought not for glory, but because it was the right thing to do. In those muddy fields, amidst death and destruction, that quiet conviction burned the brightest.

The Crucible on Hill 192

The fighting on Hill 192 was Hell incarnate—the Germans clinging fiercely to every inch. On June 9, his unit, the 82nd Airborne Division's 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, faced a vicious counterattack. The Americans were ordered to pull back to safer ground under crushing fire.

Private DeGlopper volunteered to stay behind. Alone, he made one last, deadly stand on open ground. His mission: buy time for his comrades to retreat safely.

Armed with a single BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), DeGlopper poured bullet after bullet into the advancing enemy. Machine guns, mortars, rifles—none could stop him. Each burst slowed the German advance but exposed him to relentless return fire.

He was hit repeatedly. Wounded and bleeding, he refused to fall. Another round knocked him down. He got back up. His final moments were not about him—they were about the men running away, living because of his sacrifice.

Medal of Honor: A Soldier’s Testament

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, DeGlopper’s citation captures the raw courage that defines him:

“With utter disregard for his personal safety, he remained at his exposed position and poured devastating fire into the advancing enemy…his heroic actions made it possible for his unit to withdraw and regroup without further casualties.”[1]

General Maxwell D. Taylor, commander of the 82nd Airborne, called DeGlopper’s stand “one of the most gallant sacrifices by a soldier in the European Theater.” A silent sentinel who saved lives at the cost of his own.

His bravery was not performed on a stage—it was blood and grit, sacrifice burned into that French hillside.

Legacy Written in Blood and Honor

Charles DeGlopper’s death was not in vain. He exemplified the highest ideals of soldiering: selflessness, faith under fire, courage without cheer.

His sacrifice reminds every veteran—the scars we bear are badges of survival. The lives saved, the battles won, stand on the backs of brothers who never came home.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13

DeGlopper’s story is not just one of loss. It is a call to live with purpose, honor, and unwavering loyalty. To fight for something greater than ourselves. To carry the flame for those who walked beside us, and those who will follow.

Those who never met him can know his spirit: no hesitation in the face of doom. He was a man who understood that legacy is forged in sacrifice and redeemed in remembrance.

His name endures—not just etched in medals or monuments—but in the heart of every soldier who has ever stood between darkness and dawn.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (M-S) 2. Vincent J. Esposito, Better Men: A Soldier's Story (Regnery Publishing) 3. Maxwell D. Taylor, The March Up: Taking Baghdad with the 1st Infantry Division (with contextual note on WWII leadership)