Charles DeGlopper’s Sacrifice at the Merderet River, Normandy

Nov 10 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper’s Sacrifice at the Merderet River, Normandy

Charles N. DeGlopper staggered through the mud, bullets tearing past his ears. His squad was breaking, pinned down by German machine guns. Without hesitation, he stood alone in the open, firing his rifle into the enemy lines. His one-man stand was a blazing beacon—buying precious seconds for his brothers to withdraw. Bloodied and out of ammo, he fell, a rifle clutched tight to the last breath.

Born of Grit and Quiet Faith

Charles was no stranger to hard soil and hardship. From the countryside of New York, he grew under the steady hand of a farming family—rooted in discipline and a strong faith. In the quiet moments before a fight, DeGlopper carried more than his weapon. He bore the prayers of a man wrestling daily with fear and duty. Salvation wasn’t just in church hymns, but in the code he carried—the sacred promise to shield the man beside him, no matter the cost.

“Greater love hath no man than this,” echoing in his heart as his rifle cracked against the enemy.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. The 82nd Airborne Division had just landed amidst the chaos of Normandy. Their orders: hold a critical river crossing at the Merderet River near La Fière. The Germans counterattacked with ferocity. DeGlopper’s unit began to pull back. But the retreat would have turned to slaughter without his stand.

With only his BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), DeGlopper stepped into the killing zone to cover the withdrawal. Enemy fire struck him repeatedly. Wounded and weapon empty, he continued to fire with his sidearm until a final bullet found its mark.

His sacrifice slowed the enemy’s advance. His comrades reached safety, their lives spared because one man chose to stand tall, alone.

Unyielding Valor Recognized

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, DeGlopper’s citation tells the truth: “His heroic sacrifice saved his comrades from certain death.” General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne, called him “a soldier’s soldier—the embodiment of courage under fire.”

“Through his actions, DeGlopper gave us all a lesson in selflessness.”—Colonel Benjamin H. Vandervoort, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment¹.

The Medal, on display at the National World War II Museum, is a stark reminder: courage costs, often more than life itself.

Legacy Written in Blood and Honor

Charles DeGlopper did not live to see victory, but his story writes itself into the bones of every combat vet who’s ever chosen others over themselves. His legacy is a living testament that war is not glory; it is sacrifice. That courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s the decision to face it, even to death.

The battlefield leaves scars. It took Charles. But it also made him immortal—etched in the collective memory of a nation.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” —Psalm 116:15

In honoring DeGlopper, we remember those who stand in the dark so others may walk free. Their sacrifice is our inheritance. Their scars, our solemn lesson.

We owe them our vigilance—not just on the field, but in how we live after the guns fall silent.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. 82nd Airborne Division Association, History of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 3. National WWII Museum, Charles N. DeGlopper Collection