Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand at Graignes Earned the Medal of Honor

Nov 18 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand at Graignes Earned the Medal of Honor

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone, the roar of machine guns tearing through the cold French morning. The men behind him fell back under crushing enemy fire, but he stayed. One man against a wall of bullets, a desperate shield for his comrades’ lives. He held that ridge at all costs. No orders lost. No fear accepted. Only grit.

Background & Faith

Born in New York’s Fulton County in 1921, Charles was a blue-collar kid raised to stand for something larger than himself. The son of a humble family, his moral compass was forged in quiet faith and hard work. The Bible was a guide, not just words on a page. His letters home hinted at a steady spirit — unwavering even when war called him overseas.

He joined the 82nd Airborne Division, the “All American” paratroopers — not just for glory but because he knew the stakes. Honor wasn’t just a word. It was how you lived.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. Just days after D-Day. Near the tiny French village of Graignes, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment found itself pinned under a storm of German artillery and automatic fire. Their mission: hold critical ground and prevent chaos from swallowing the American advance.

DeGlopper’s unit was forced to retreat down a ridge, but the enemy chased hard. Amid smoke and deafening blasts, DeGlopper volunteered to cover the withdrawal. Alone, on open terrain, he exposed himself to relentless fire. Every step forward was a bullet’s breath away from death.

His rifle tore into the advancing enemy as he gave his squad the seconds they needed. He was hit multiple times but kept firing until the last round.

He died as he fought — not for glory, but to save lives.

Recognition: Medal of Honor

Posthumous Medal of Honor awarded on September 19, 1944. The citation calls out DeGlopper’s “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty.” His sacrifice “made it possible for his unit to continue its retreat in good order, saving numerous lives.”

Brigadier General Charles Keerans Jr. noted, “Private First Class DeGlopper’s actions will stand as a vivid lesson for every soldier — bravery, dedication, the will to endure at any cost.”¹

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

Legacy & Lessons

Today, a small memorial in Graignes honors him. But his story lives far beyond stone and metal. DeGlopper’s stand wasn’t a battlefield accident — it was a deliberate sacrifice, the ultimate cost of protecting your brothers in arms.

His courage teaches a hard truth: Valor isn’t the absence of fear. It is the choice to act despite it. Every combat veteran carries the future in their scars, just like DeGlopper carried his men through hell.

The war took Charles from us, but his story remains a solemn vow — that every life saved through sacrifice counts beyond measure. His last stand echoes—a beacon for all who face the darkness and refuse to yield.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Charles N. DeGlopper: Medal of Honor Recipient” 2. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, official citation archive 3. “82nd Airborne Division in WWII,” James E. Short Jr., Oxford University Press