Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand at Normandy and His Sacrifice

Nov 18 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand at Normandy and His Sacrifice

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone on a hill drenched in fire and blood. Every inch gained meant another brother lived. He was the rearguard—the shield between chaos and his unit’s shattered line. Bullets tore past him. Mortar shells cracked like thunder above. But he stayed. Fired. Covered the retreat. Knew well this was no story of glory—only sacrifice.

He bought his brothers time at the cost of his own life.

Roots Born for War

Charles was a son of the Hudson Valley, New York. A working-class kid raised in a modest home, taught to honor hard work and country. The kind of man shaped by quiet faith and a family that understood sacrifice wasn’t just wartime talk—it was everyday living.

His faith was a steady flame in the darkness. Letters mention prayers for protection, a palm crossed over a photo of his Mama. That’s where his code came from: loyalty until death, and a fierce belief in something greater than himself.

The Battle That Defined Him

It was June 9, 1944—just three days after D-Day—in the bocage of Normandy. The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne, was pinned down by a well-entrenched German force at a critical river crossing near La Fière. The enemy’s machine guns ruled the causeway. Advancing meant death. Retreat meant abandoning comrades.

DeGlopper volunteered: cover the pullback.

He moved alone into the choke point, exposed and on full display. His M1 rifle cracked with relentless fury, drawing enemy fire onto himself. He stood like a lion, a solitary line against a wall of enemy guns.

For ten brutal minutes, DeGlopper fired. He slowed the enemy’s advance, buying his unit time to fall back and regroup. When his clip emptied, he grabbed grenades, tossing them with deadly precision until the last breath.

His position was overrun. His body found hours later riddled with bullets—his sacrifice carved into that bloodied field.

“We were pinned and surrounded. Charles saved the battalion,” said Lt. Col. Robert Dawson, commander of the 3rd Battalion.[^1]

Medal of Honor—A Soldier’s Price

For his heroism, Private DeGlopper received the Medal of Honor, posthumously awarded on September 13, 1944[^2]. The citation speaks plainly but with unmatched weight:

“In the face of intense enemy fire, Private DeGlopper held a critical position alone, enabling the withdrawal of friendly forces.”

It wasn’t about medals or recognition to Charles—he’d never see the medal, never hear the cheers. But his actions bore the entire weight of battlefield honor. He gave the ultimate sacrifice with no hesitation.

His story traveled home in whispers and tears. Fellow soldiers remembered his relentless courage. The 101st Airborne, known as the "Screaming Eagles," still honors him as a symbol of what it means to stand in the line for your brothers.

Enduring Lessons etched in blood

Charles DeGlopper’s legacy isn’t a tale of heroism without cost—it’s a testament to the terrible price of survival in war.

He stood so others could live, born from the true grit of battle-worn souls who understood their purpose was not themselves—but those to their left and right.

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

That sacred truth was marked on the hills of Normandy, where one man made a last stand for countless others. The lessons stretch beyond the battlefield: the call to courage, faith, and sacrifice in a fractured world.

For veterans who walk haunted fields, for civilians with no scars but heavy hearts, DeGlopper’s story speaks truth. Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but carrying on despite it. Sacrifice is messy, real, and often paid in blood. And redemption? Redemption comes when we remember those who gave all, not just as stories, but as a call to live for something greater.

Sources

[^1]: Stephen Ambrose, Band of Brothers (Simon & Schuster, 1992). [^2]: U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (A-L).