Jan 28 , 2026

Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand at Carentan Ridge Saved Lives

Charles DeGlopper stood alone on the ridge's shattered edge, bullets slicing the air like deadly hail. His squad was gone—either dead or retreating under crushing fire. The enemy didn’t just want to take ground. They wanted to erase men like him. But DeGlopper stayed. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t falter. He became a shield made of flesh and resolve.

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The Son of Schroon Lake

Born in 1921 in the quiet town of Schroon Lake, New York, Charles DeGlopper grew up with a working man’s grit and a faith that ran deep. Not flashy, not loud, but a steady kind of belief—that there was purpose even in blood and sacrifice. Raised by hard toil and honest living, he joined the Army in ’42, answering a nation's call that echoed far beyond the rolling Adirondacks.

His baptism by fire came with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division—“All American” paratroopers, light on their feet but heavy with duty. DeGlopper carried faith, honor, and a quiet courage forged in everyday trials before the war.

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The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. Just days after D-Day, the battle for France was still raw, jagged, and desperate. The 82nd Airborne was locked in the fight at Carentan, a small town that meant foothold or failure. The Germans counterattacked—waves of infantry, machine guns, artillery. DeGlopper’s unit was ordered to cover a critical withdrawal.

With no orders to hold that single ridge himself—no safety net, just a steep slope and enemy fire—DeGlopper stepped forward. Gun blazing. One man against a storm.

Enemy bullets swallowed comrades by the dozen. Yet, his M1 rifle sang with resolve. Every shot bought seconds for his squad to retreat. When he ran out of ammo, he charged with a discarded submachine gun. Wounded but unyielding. Shouting to rally the men. His voice a war cry in the chaos.

Eventually, he was overwhelmed. Fatally wounded. But not before dishing out a last stand that saved countless lives. His sacrifice sealed the line, sealed their escape, and etched his name in the ledger of heroes.

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The Medal and the Words Left Behind

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on February 17, 1945, DeGlopper’s citation reads not just as a report of valor but as a testament to unshakable courage:

"Staff Sergeant DeGlopper held the enemy at bay to permit the withdrawal of his platoon, fully realizing that his gallant action meant almost certain death."

Colonel Roy E. Lindquist, his regimental commander, said, “DeGlopper made the greatest combat sacrifice any soldier can make. His was a selfless stand, the ultimate surrender to duty and country.”[1]

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A Legacy Written in Blood and Spirit

Years later, the ridge near Carentan still whispers DeGlopper’s name. Veterans speak of him not as some mythical figure, but as a brother who stood when others fell.

His story is more than battlefield glory. It’s a raw lesson on what sacrifice demands. On what faith in a higher cause can carry a man through hell’s darkest hours. The scars he left behind, both on the earth and in hearts, remind us of the price of freedom.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

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Charles DeGlopper’s courage was a beacon amid chaos—a choice to stand firm when all else fell away.

His legacy calls to every warrior and every citizen: courage is born in moments no one will see later, sacrifice whispers louder than medals, and redemption waits in the hands of those who carry on. His stand did not end with his last breath—it began the hope for many to live.

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Sources

[1] Medal of Honor Citation, Charles N. DeGlopper — U.S. Army Center of Military History; 82nd Airborne Division Archives: The Battle of Carentan.

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