Charles DeGlopper’s Sacrifice at Normandy Earned the Medal of Honor

Dec 11 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper’s Sacrifice at Normandy Earned the Medal of Honor

He stood alone. The weight of the world pressing down as bullets tore through the chaos. Two dozen comrades dead, more wounded—retreat was the only hope. But retreat meant crossing that open field, a sliver of earth soaked in blood and fire, with German machine guns trained like hawks. Charles DeGlopper didn’t falter. He stepped up. And he gave everything so others could live.

Forged in New York, Tempered by Faith

Charles Neil DeGlopper was no stranger to grit. Born in Mooneyham, New York, 1921, he was the son of a farmer—earthy, grounded, raised on hard work and quiet dignity. This wasn’t a man clawing for glory. This was a man who lived by an unshakable code: duty, honor, faith.

His church pew was front-row Sunday, his Bible worn at the edges. Faith wasn’t some faint wisp—it was armor. Friends recalled his calm, steady gaze in a crisis, a whisper of “Be still” in the storm. It’s no surprise DeGlopper carried scripture close: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Each word, a promise.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. Normandy’s hedgerows still raw from D-Day’s grinding resolve. DeGlopper, a Private First Class in Company C, 1st Battalion, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, found himself in the hellish fields near Les Forges, France. Their objective: secure the area and hold against relentless German counterattacks.

Chaos exploded around them. German machine guns zeroed in. The company was ordered to pull back across an open field—a death zone. Without cover, retreat was a slaughter.

DeGlopper made a choice only the steel-hearted understand. He volunteered to cover the withdrawal. Alone.

He moved through the hail of fire like a ghost, grenade in hand, rifle blazing, every breath a fight for survival. `"This man, with a courage and selflessness beyond all others, stood and delivered a hail of fire upon the advancing enemy."` This was not textbook valor. This was raw sacrifice.

His actions stalled the German advance long enough for his comrades to escape. But the price was ultimate: DeGlopper was hit—multiple wounds—and never made it back.

Recognition Written in Blood

Posthumous Medal of Honor, awarded September 27, 1944, engraved with the story of a soldier who refused to yield even when the fight cost him everything.

His citation reads in part:

“By his intrepid fighting spirit and gallant sacrifice, Private First Class DeGlopper delayed the German advance long enough to permit the withdrawal of his comrades, thereby saving many lives.”

His platoon leader, Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who himself fell in battle that same month, reportedly said, “DeGlopper’s sacrifice turned the tide that day. A hero to us all.”

DeGlopper’s name is etched on memorials, on barracks walls, and in the souls of every soldier who understands what it means to give all.

A Legacy of Purpose and Redemption

The fields of Normandy still whisper his name. Not just for the medals or the pageantry—but for the brutal truth of sacrifice. For every soldier crouched under fire, there’s a DeGlopper who took the bullet for brotherhood’s sake.

Redemption isn’t found in glory. It’s found in the choice—time and again—to fight for something greater than self. To carry the wounded, to cover the retreat, to stand where no one else will.

His story reminds us all: courage isn’t fearless. It’s forged in fear’s furnace—and steeled by faith.

DeGlopper’s life ended on that bloody patch of Normandy soil, but his legacy wields the power to remind us today:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

He gave peace a chance, so others could see a tomorrow.

Sources

1. Department of Defense, Medal of Honor citation records for Charles N. DeGlopper 2. 325th Glider Infantry Regiment Unit History, U.S. Army Center of Military History 3. “Beyond Valor: A True Story of WWII Combat,” by Michael S. Black, 2016 4. “Heroes of D-Day” PBS Documentary, 2004