Charles DeGlopper’s Last Stand at La Fière Bridge, Medal of Honor

Nov 21 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper’s Last Stand at La Fière Bridge, Medal of Honor

He stood alone on the rocky ridge, German bullets slicing the air like death itself. Every heartbeat was a prayer. His squad was pulling back—sounds of retreat and chaos behind him—but Charles DeGlopper chose to stay. Not out of recklessness. Out of pure, steel will. Covering fire. Sacrifice. Death on the horizon. That was his last stand.

The Soldier Behind the Medal

Charles Neil DeGlopper grew up in Schroon Lake, New York—simple, quiet country where faith was woven into daily life. Raised in a family where hard work met Sunday service, he carried those values onto the battlefield. A farm boy turned paratrooper, DeGlopper didn’t wear his courage for show.

His belief system wasn’t flashy. It was steadfast. A code crafted from small-town Sunday school and the unshakable conviction that some sacrifices were worth more than life itself. Scripture like Romans 5:8—“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”—was in the air he breathed. Not just words. A mission.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. The Oise River in France. The days after D-Day were chaos incarnate. The 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, was tasked with securing a vital river crossing near the village of La Fière.

Enemy fire rained down as DeGlopper’s squad made a hasty retreat. The bridge was under threat of collapse, and the regiment needed to fall back before it shattered entirely. But the Germans were advancing fast.

With brutal clarity, DeGlopper volunteered to cover the withdrawal. Alone. Under withering machine gun and mortar fire.

Darting from rock to rock, he fired his rifle repeatedly, drawing fire away from his comrades. His position was vulnerable. He was hit multiple times but kept on fighting, driven by a purpose far greater than himself.

The citation states: “With complete disregard for his own safety, Private First Class DeGlopper stood his ground and began firing at the approaching enemy. He was wounded, but continued to deliver fire, sacrificing himself to enable his company to withdraw and regroup in safety.”

His final act was a barrier between life and death for his unit. He died on that rock-strewn ridge, his rifle jammed, his body riddled with bullets. But his sacrifice bought time.

Recognition Carved in Valor

Charles N. DeGlopper was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on September 14, 1944.

General J. Lawton Collins, commander of the VII Corps at the time, described DeGlopper’s action as:

“A shining example of courage and self-sacrifice that inspires all who heard of it.”

The official Medal of Honor citation reads in part: “His unselfish bravery and intrepidity saved the lives of many of his comrades and contributed materially to the success of our mission.”

Today, the DeGlopper Bridge in Schroon Lake stands as a testament. A simple span over the waters, silently screaming the legacy of one man’s refusal to yield.

Legacy Etched in Sacrifice

DeGlopper’s story isn’t about glory. It’s about the bleeding cost of freedom. About one man — not a hero by choice, but by necessity.

His life tells vets and civilians alike that courage isn’t born in the absence of fear. It’s forged by the decision to press on when all you feel is cold, sharp dread.

He embodies the truth Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:3:

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

The humble farmer’s son who faced his last breath in a hail of bullets reminds us: the true battlefield is often silent, fought in moments unseen by history’s bright lights.

His sacrifice stands between chaos and order, death and deliverance. And through that, an enduring lesson echoes—freedom demands a price.

Charles N. DeGlopper’s rifle silenced forever on that ridge, but his voice? It still calls us. Calls us to stand when others fall back. Calls us to bear the burden so others might walk free.

His sacrifice is not forgotten. It’s carved into the very soul of what it means to be a warrior—a warrior who fights not for the moment… but for the legacy left behind.