Charles DeGlopper's Medal of Honor Sacrifice at La Fière

Nov 20 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Medal of Honor Sacrifice at La Fière

Blood soaked the earth as Charles DeGlopper stood alone. A wall of steel and fire crashed behind him — relentless German machine-gun nests hammering everything forward. His squad had fallen back, huddled in a fragile line. But DeGlopper? He stayed behind, rifle blazing, a lone sentinel in a sea of death.

A Soldier Forged in Small-Town Faith

Charles N. DeGlopper Jr. was no myth. Born August 2, 1921, in Schroon Lake, New York, he carried the humble honor of a country boy who never lost sight of higher calling. Raised in a working-class family soaked in church pews and Sunday prayers, DeGlopper’s foundation was faith and grit.

He believed in something bigger than himself. A quiet resolve wrapped in small-town common sense. Before the war, he worked as a butcher’s assistant—steady hands, steady heart. When the call came, Charles answered without hesitation. A code not spoken but lived: protect your brothers, don’t leave anyone behind.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. The early days of the Normandy invasion. The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, fought tooth and nail on the French countryside. They faced entrenched German positions around the town of La Fière. The assault stalled. Men died trying to cross an open causeway stretching over a wide river.

It was here that DeGlopper ascended from soldier to legend.

When his squad was forced to retreat, he refused to abandon the position. Crawling onto the causeway alone, he moved down the narrow path under withering fire. His rifle carved a path through the advancing enemy. Every shot slowed the German advance, buying precious seconds.

His heart hammered against overwhelming odds, but his mind held steady.

Bullets snapped past his body; men fell around him. Despite suffering wounds, he pressed on. His action was a linchpin, holding the enemy at bay while his company regrouped across the causeway. When he finally collapsed, it was as a shield—his body taking the final shots meant for others.

Medal of Honor: Written in Blood

For this desperate stand, Charles DeGlopper was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation reads like a testament to the warrior’s soul:

“With unhesitating gallantry, he single-handedly held off the German strength, covering the withdrawal of his men and giving them the chance to live."

General Matthew Ridgway, commanding officer of the 82nd Airborne at the time, remarked:

“His valor under direct fire exemplified everything a paratrooper fights for. DeGlopper gave his life that others might live and fight again."

His name and sacrifice became a rallying cry among his unit — a symbol of raw courage intertwined with selfless duty.

The Legacy Etched In Blood and Spirit

Charles DeGlopper’s story is more than a moment in history. It’s a mirror held up to every soldier who has faced the hellstorm of war with resolve. He didn’t just die on a battlefield; he became the embodiment of sacrifice — a brother in arms who chose the impossible to protect his own.

There is a kind of redemption in that sacrifice. One that transcends war’s chaos.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

Today, the Charles N. DeGlopper Memorial Bridge in New York and the monument at La Fière stand vigilant reminders. Not just for us to remember him. But to remind us all of what it means to carry the weight of freedom—paid in blood, honor, and unwavering courage.

For veterans and civilians alike, his story demands respect. It confronts us with a truth: sacrifice is never in vain when it saves a single soul in the storm.

DeGlopper’s final chapter wasn’t just about dying heroically. It was about giving life its chance to turn the page.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History: Medal of Honor citation, Charles N. DeGlopper Jr. 2. The 82nd Airborne Division Association Archives: Combat reports, June 1944, Normandy. 3. Ridgway, Matthew B., The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II (Military Historical Press, 1956).