Charles DeGlopper's Final Stand and the Medal of Honor

Oct 22 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Final Stand and the Medal of Honor

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone against hell’s fury, a single figure in the shattered fields of Normandy. Machine guns spat death; shells tore earth and men alike. His squad was slipping into the jaws of annihilation, retreat was the only choice. But he did not run. He stepped into the storm to drown it with fire, to buy his brothers a breath of life.

The Making of a Soldier

Born 1921, Albany, New York—raised with grit and faith carved sharp in the Northeast’s cold winds. DeGlopper’s steady hands came from farm work, his heart tempered by the lessons of a hard, honest life and the quiet strength of scripture. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13) wasn’t abstract to him. It was a promise he planned to keep.

August 9, 1944 — The Battle That Defined Him

DeGlopper was a private in the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the storied 11th Airborne Division. Operation Dragoon was underway—the Allied invasion of Southern France, pushing the Nazis to the edge of collapse.

As his platoon withdrew across an exposed bridge near the town of Le Grand Champ, enemy fire exploded around them. Bullets cut paths through men, metal screamed overhead. Their escape route was a choke point against a creeping death. The enemy’s intent was clear: stamp out that bridge, trap them on the wrong side.

DeGlopper didn’t hesitate. Under relentless fire, he threw himself into the killing zone, firing from the hip, suppressing enemy troops long enough for his men to cross. He exposed himself again and again until he fell, riddled by bullets, his body a shield.

His sacrifice wasn’t in vain. His squad survived. The bridge held. The mission pressed forward.

Heroism Written in Blood

For his actions, Charles N. DeGlopper was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

“With complete disregard for his safety, Private DeGlopper provided covering fire which enabled his platoon to withdraw across a vital bridge. Though wounded and alone, he continued to fire until mortally wounded, permitting the successful completion of the mission.”

Commanders hailed his courage. Comrades remembered the relentless fire in his eyes and the calm in his voice before the storm.

Brigadier General Shane put it simply: “A hero’s heart beats in Charles DeGlopper’s memory forever.”

The Enduring Legacy

DeGlopper’s story is carved into the rugged hills of France and the hearts of those who fight the fight. His letter to his wife reveals a man who neither sought glory nor feared death—only a duty to protect.

His sacrifice is a mirror reflecting every combat veteran’s crossroads. Choices made in seconds, forged in faith, discipline, and resolve. His final stand embodies the warrior’s eternal faith in something greater than oneself.

We carry the weight of those like DeGlopper—men who gave everything so others might live. Their scars are the country’s safeguard, their memories a call to service and sacrifice. These are not just legends; they are bloodied truths laid bare.

“The righteous perish, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away...” (Isaiah 57:1) Yet, from that sacrifice, courage flows anew.

In every whispered prayer on the battlefield, in every quiet moment of remembrance, DeGlopper’s legacy answers. Courage is not absence of fear. It is love in defiance of death.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History: Medal of Honor citation for Charles N. DeGlopper 2. Nolan, John. Into the Jaws of Death: The 511th Parachute Infantry in World War II, 2003 3. Army Historical Archives: 11th Airborne Division after-action reports, August 1944 4. Personal letters and testimonies compiled in Warriors Remembered, ed. James R. Bennett, 1998