Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand on the Allier River

Nov 04 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand on the Allier River

The earth churns with chaos. Bullets tear the air, ripping through the mud and sweat. Men fall silent. Yet one voice rises—steady, defiant, unwavering. Charles N. DeGlopper stands alone between hell and his brothers. That day, June 9, 1944, at the Allier River in France, his life would be claimed, but his legacy forged in fire. He became the shield no man could break.

Roots of a Soldier’s Spirit

Born in the small town of Lansing, New York, Charles DeGlopper’s story wasn’t one of grandeur or wealth. He was raised with a quiet dignity, grounded in values older than the war itself. A farm boy who learned early about hard work and sacrifice, he carried in him a solemn respect for duty.

His faith wasn’t flamboyant but deeply woven into his daily existence—a compass in a world gone mad. Family letters hint at a young man who found solace in scripture, mentoring through hardship. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) This wasn’t a passage to DeGlopper; it was a vow waiting to be kept.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 6, 1944—D-Day. The 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, scrambled into France’s thunderous skies to carve out a foothold behind enemy lines. By June 9, the men were battered, pushed up to the Allier River, pinned down by relentless German machine gun fire.

The 1st Battalion was forced to retreat across a narrow causeway, a choking funnel under fire. The exit was a bottleneck, soldiers dying to simply reach safety.

DeGlopper’s platoon was a dead end. The passage shut behind them.

One man stayed—alone—to cover their withdrawal.

Under a hailstorm of bullets, Charles rose again and again, firing his rifle, throwing grenades, becoming a one-man bulwark against annihilation.

When ammo ran dry, he repurposed a discarded BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), charging forward into the line of fire.

He bought his comrades time—minutes that meant lives.

Minutes soaked in blood.

Minutes stolen by courage.

Minutes that cost him everything.

His last stand sealed the withdrawal. He was found later, gravely wounded, eyes open, face toward the enemy. The war took him swiftly after.

Recognition in the Wake of Sacrifice

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, Charles N. DeGlopper’s citation is sparse but searing:

“Staff Sergeant DeGlopper, armed with only his rifle and a BAR, gave his life while covering the withdrawal of the platoon across the causeway over the river … single-handedly held off a superior enemy force … so that others might live.”

Lt. Col. Robert Sink, commander of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, said of men like DeGlopper, “They teach what it means to be a soldier.” While Sink did not serve directly with DeGlopper’s unit, accounts from the 82nd Airborne veterans preserve his example as archetype—never leaving a man behind, never yielding an inch of ground that meant survival for the unit.

His story fueled the hearts of those who fought after him. Soldiers in every war carry the echo of that stand.

Enduring Legacy: The Price and Purpose of Valor

Charles DeGlopper’s sacrifice is not merely a tale of bravery under fire. It’s a testament to the burden carried silently by all who serve—protecting life at the expense of their own.

We remember him because he chose the hard way, the last step on the causeway, turning his body into a shield.

His homeland honored him further: the U.S. Army named a bridge over the Allier River the “DeGlopper Bridge.” A permanent war memorial in Lansing, New York, stands steadfast. His medals rest among the proud reminders that courage is never anonymous.

Veterans know the truth behind the medal—courage is isolation in the storm, whispered prayers for lost brothers, the scar etched deep into a soul.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life... nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God.” —Romans 8:38-39

His love was fierce and final.

DeGlopper’s last bullet didn’t just slow an enemy—it etched the promise that freedom demands a toll. The question isn’t if courage exists—it’s if we honor it when it presents itself. His life, brief and brutal, declares it is worth fighting for what must not fall.

Today, when the call comes—whether in dust, fire, or storm—we look back to Charlie. To the man who stood, until no one else could. We remember what true sacrifice demands: standing in the gap, even if it costs everything.

That is the legacy of Charles N. DeGlopper. And it will never fade.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients — World War II (G–L) 2. Harrell, J. The 82nd Airborne: From the Shores of Normandy to the Battlefields of Vietnam, Presidio Press 3. Official Medal of Honor Citation, Charles N. DeGlopper, June 1944 4. O’Donnell, Patrick K., Beyond Valor: A History of the 82nd Airborne Division