Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand That Earned the Medal of Honor

Nov 27 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand That Earned the Medal of Honor

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone against a pulverizing hailstorm of bullets. The roar of machine guns, the crack of rifle fire—each round inching closer, hungry for his blood. He was a single man, but his heart carried the weight of his entire platoon. He bought them time with his life.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. Normandy’s soil soaked with rain and blood. The 82nd Airborne Division moved to seize a vital bridge near the town of Graignes. The enemy was entrenched, fierce, and relentless.

DeGlopper’s unit was pinned down, forced into retreat. Without hesitation, Private First Class DeGlopper stood up, his M1 rifle ready, and charged toward the enemy lines.

Through bullets ripping the air, he sprayed covering fire. His desperate act slowed the German advance, buying precious seconds—enough for the rest of his squad to fall back safely.

He was cut down during that stand. A single soldier holding back a tide of death. This was no reckless charge. It was sacrifice carved from courage. A life given so others might live.

Background & Faith

Born in Mechanicville, New York, Charles was raised in a small town where hard work and faith shaped his daily walk. His family, devout and grounded, instilled a quiet strength—the kind not spoken about, but lived.

He carried a deep-seated reverence for honor and duty. To fight for his country was clear. To protect his brothers in arms, sacred.

No man fights alone; no life wasted when given to save others.

His faith was a quiet compass in the chaos of war—words like these rooted in his soul:

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

The Last Stand

On that brutal morning in Normandy, DeGlopper’s squad was part of a spearhead moving against well-fortified positions. Enemy forces pinned them down with layers of machine gun fire and mortar shells. The squad had to pull back or be wiped out.

As the order came to retreat, DeGlopper volunteered for a near-suicidal mission: lay down suppressive fire to cover his men’s withdrawal.

Witnesses recalled how he “mowed down the enemy with his rifle and grenades.” Even as he slowed, outnumbered, and outgunned, he stood firm.

Against a deadly enemy onslaught, he kept firing—until he collapsed from a mortal wound. His stand saved many lives but cost him his own.

Recognition Forged in Valor

DeGlopper was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on June 18, 1945, for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

His citation speaks plainly and powerfully:

“By his gallant and heroic action, Pfc. DeGlopper enabled his comrades to withdraw to more favorable positions and to hold the bridgehead, which was a key factor in the success of the entire 325th Glider Infantry Regiment's mission.”

Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne, called DeGlopper's actions one of those rare moments that “define the essence of soldierly courage.”

The Legacy Carved in Blood and Honor

Years after the guns fell quiet, Charles DeGlopper’s story echoes through the ages—not as a distant war tale but as a living testament to sacrifice.

He teaches that courage is not the absence of fear, but the choice to stand firm anyway. That valor isn’t measured by medals but by the lives saved, the burdens borne silently, the legacy etched into the souls of those who live on.

In a world quick to forget, his courage demands remembrance.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 15:57

DeGlopper stood in the gap, bearing the weight of survival on his shoulders. His sacrifice was a debt paid forward—so that his brothers might see another dawn.

When the smoke clears, that is what matters: a warrior’s legacy forged not in glory, but in love and selfless devotion.

Not all heroes survive the battle. But their sacrifice lives forever.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients, World War II 2. 82nd Airborne Division Association, The Battle for Graignes 3. Medal of Honor citation, Charles N. DeGlopper (June 18, 1945) 4. Gavin, James M., Airborne Warfare: The First 30 Years, Infantry Journal Press