Charles DeGlopper, Normandy Hero Who Held Hill 192

Feb 19 , 2026

Charles DeGlopper, Normandy Hero Who Held Hill 192

Charles DeGlopper’s rifle roared into the chaos like a prayer shot through hellfire. Alone, pinned down, smoke choking the air, he stood in that blasted wheat field on June 9, 1944, knowing the enemy would cut him down any second. But he held the line so his brothers could escape. The cost? His life.

From Small Town Roots to Warrior Spirit

Charles N. DeGlopper came from a quiet village in New York’s Hudson Valley. Hard-headed and humble, he learned the value of grit early—laconic and steady, the kind of man who tightened his jaw instead of letting fear show. Raised in faith, his belief in sacrifice and duty burned steady, even when war tested his resolve.

He enlisted with Company C, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, volunteering for the deadly job of storming fortress Europe. The Bible was close with him; John 15:13 echoed in the back of his mind—“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

The Battle That Defined Him: Normandy, Hill 192

June 6, 1944 — D-Day. The invasion had begun, but the fight was far from over. The 82nd Airborne was tasked to secure a crucial road junction near Sainte-Mère-Église. Hill 192 loomed as the German stronghold guarding the route inland.

Three days later, the 325th found itself locked in brutal combat. Company C was flanked and forced to retreat under withering enemy fire. DeGlopper volunteered to stay behind—alone—to cover the withdrawal.

With his BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) blazing, he delivered suppressive fire from thick brush and open fields. Time and again, he rose to fire a burst, then dropped low to reload. Machine gun bullets tore the grain around him; mortar shells ripped the earth.

Every second he held his position shattered the enemy’s advance, peeling their fire away from his comrades. He stood his ground as if death were just another foe to slay.

Witnesses said he fired until his weapon jammed, then emptied his pistol. When a German soldier charged to finish him off, DeGlopper was hit in the chest. His last act was silence, but his sacrifice roared louder than any gun.

Valor Carved In Blood: Medal of Honor

DeGlopper died that day—June 9, 1944—at 24 years old. His heroism shattered the fog of war.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

“For heroic gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty.... Despite overwhelming odds, Private First Class DeGlopper remained behind, continuing to deliver withering fire on the enemy... his heroic action inspired his comrades and saved many lives.”

Commanders and fellow troopers remembered him as the brother who stood tall in the storm. General James M. Gavin called him “a paratrooper who typified the spirit and fighting heart of the 82nd.”

The Medal was presented posthumously to his family. The medals and ribbons are cold metal — but what they honor is a fiery legacy of brotherhood and sacrifice.

Enduring Legacy: Scarred but Unbroken

Charles DeGlopper isn’t just a name on a medal or a marker on a map. His stand on Hill 192 is a lesson carved in blood.

Sacrifice is not some abstract notion. It’s gritty, brutal, a moment when fear and faith collide. DeGlopper chose faith over fear, duty over death. That choice saved lives and shifted battle lines.

For veterans, his story is the combat code: hold the line, cover your brothers, stand when all else falls.

For civilians, it’s a stark truth—freedom is bought in blood and sweat, paid for by men who never made it home.

His grave lies at Normandy American Cemetery. In that quiet field, his story still whispers.

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9

Charles DeGlopper gave us more than his life. He gave us courage etched in eternity. This is the sacrifice we owe them—remembering, honoring, and living with the same fierce fidelity.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Steven Ambrose, D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II (Simon & Schuster) 3. 82nd Airborne Division Archives, DeGlopper Action Reports 4. James M. Gavin, Airborne Warfare (Harper & Brothers)