Charles DeGlopper, WWII Normandy hero and Medal of Honor recipient

Nov 11 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper, WWII Normandy hero and Medal of Honor recipient

Steel tears fall where heroes stand alone. In the hellfire of Normandy’s hedgerows, a single man became the shield no one else could hold. Charles N. DeGlopper—barely 21, a soldier soaked in blood and grit—stood firm against the relentless storm of German fire. His last breath tore through France to save his brothers.

Born to Stand, Raised to Sacrifice

Charles was a son of Selkirk, New York. A farm boy shaped by simple faith and steady hands. Raised in the quiet steeped in Christian resolve, he carried a code: Duty before self. A baptized believer, he drew strength not just from his rifle but from Scripture.

His letters home spoke less of war and more of purpose—trusting God’s will, embracing whatever came. The kind of faith that walks toward the enemy, not away.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

That’s the backbone of a man who’d face hell without flinching.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. Three days after D-Day, the 82nd Airborne Division drops behind enemy lines in Normandy. Private First Class DeGlopper, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was tasked with holding a vital crossroads near the town of Isigny-sur-Mer.

The unit’s advance had stalled under savage enemy fire. Retreat seemed inevitable—a withdrawal that would cost dozens of lives if the Germans overran their position too quickly.

DeGlopper volunteered for a suicide mission.

With a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), he charged alone across open terrain, into machine gun nests and rifle fire. He kept firing, standing tall despite wounds. His relentless fire pinned the enemy long enough for his squad to regroup and escape.

Witnesses described watching DeGlopper—stoic, unwavering, a human bulwark. He fell finally to enemy fire, but his stand delayed the enemy’s assault, saving countless lives.

“His action was a demonstration of ‘self-sacrifice and gallantry, above and beyond the call of duty.’” — Medal of Honor citation, 1945¹

Death did not silence his courage.

The Medal of Honor

Congress awarded Charles DeGlopper the Medal of Honor posthumously in September 1944. His citation, recounting the desperate battle, calls him a soldier who “fulfilled the highest tradition of the U.S. Army.”

Brigadier General James M. Gavin, commander of the 82nd, later said of men like DeGlopper:

“These were the men who counted on nothing but their steel and sheer guts to win the war.”²

The honor etched Charles’ name permanently into the pantheon of warriors who gave all to protect their brothers-in-arms and the freedom of the world.

Legacy in Blood and Honor

DeGlopper’s story lives beyond medals or monuments. His scarred sacrifice is a testament to a truth louder than gunfire: sometimes the greatest weapon is a man’s willingness to die so others may live.

His courage teaches us about redemption through sacrifice. He didn’t seek glory—only to stand firm when the line broke, when all else crumbled.

Every veteran who steels themselves for impossible odds owes a debt to men like Charles. His story reminds us that honor is forged in pain and blood—not in words.

Today, his legacy endures in the 505th’s battle cries and in the hearts of every soldier who chooses courage over comfort.

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

Charles N. DeGlopper died a young soldier. Yet he still teaches us what it means to live—through sacrifice, faith, and unyielding courage. In the echoes of Normandy’s fields, his blood cries out, demanding that we remember the price of freedom, and the men who paid it full.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Gavin, James M., On to Berlin: Battles of the 82nd Airborne Division