Charles DeGlopper’s stand at Graignes that earned the Medal of Honor

Nov 07 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper’s stand at Graignes that earned the Medal of Honor

Charles DeGlopper stood alone at the edge of a crumbling ridge, bullets rattling around him like angry hornets. His squad was falling back, every step fought with sweat and grit. But that day—June 9, 1944—DeGlopper would become more than a soldier. He became the shield between death and his brothers. Against impossible odds. Facing a hailstorm of machine gun fire. He held the line so others could live.

Roots of a Warrior

Born in Nyack, New York, Charles N. DeGlopper was a blue-collar kid raised amid the hard work and steadiness of a close-knit family. A quiet young man with unshakable faith, he carried the creed of service and sacrifice deep in his soul. His father taught him the value of honor; his mother, the power of prayer. For DeGlopper, belief wasn’t just words—it was armor.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him.” (Psalm 28:7)

That verse was his anchor in the chaos of war’s storm.

Holding the Line: The Landings at Normandy

DeGlopper’s crucible came with the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. In the muddy hell of Normandy’s bocage on D-Day plus three, the 82nd was tasked with a near-impossible mission. A vital crossroads near the town of Graignes had to be taken—and held.

The Germans were dug in, prepared to choke the American advance.

As the 3rd Battalion found itself under crushing counterattack, orders came: fall back. The retreat could have turned into a rout. But Charles DeGlopper stood up. Volunteered to cover his comrades while they pulled back to safety.

With a Browning Automatic Rifle in hand, he sprinted forward. Alone. Into the maelstrom of enemy machine gun fire.

Bullets tore through the air, and men fell beside him, but DeGlopper stayed. Fired relentlessly. Every burst a promise for his buddies behind him to live and fight again.

His fire pinned down enemy troops long enough for his unit to retreat in order.

When the smoke cleared, Charles DeGlopper lay mortally wounded.

Medal of Honor: Valor Paid in Blood

The Medal of Honor came posthumously, but the words etched into his citation cement DeGlopper’s place in warrior lore:

"With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he maintained a one-man stand against heavy enemy fire and alone covered the withdrawal of his comrades."

General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne, called the actions of DeGlopper and his regiment “a magnificent example of self-sacrifice.”

Comrades remembered him as steady and unshakable, a man who acted because he understood the cost of retreat wasn't just ground lost, but lives.

His sacrifice saved countless men—an unyielding testament to brotherhood under fire.

What DeGlopper Teaches Us Today

Charles DeGlopper’s story isn’t just about a moment in a faraway field.

It’s about the grit it takes to stand when everyone else runs.

The somber truth of war is its tally—broken bodies, shattered families, and eternal scars etched on the living.

Yet in that darkness, DeGlopper found purpose. A purpose forged not in glory, but in the raw sacrifice for others.

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

His legacy whispers still—to every veteran carrying invisible wounds. To every citizen who wonders what courage looks like.

It looks like a man deciding that some lives are worth giving his own.

And in that, we find redemption amid the blood and thunder.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Department of Defense, 82nd Airborne Division Historical Archives 3. Ridgway, Matthew B., “Crusade in Europe” (1949) 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Charles N. DeGlopper Citation