Charles DeGlopper's Medal of Honor Sacrifice at Marne River

Jan 28 , 2026

Charles DeGlopper's Medal of Honor Sacrifice at Marne River

The thunder was deafening. Bullets whipped past like angry hornets.

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone on a narrow ridge near the Marne River, France. Behind him, his comrades of the 82nd Airborne Division retreated under blistering German fire. Ahead lay certain death. His choice was carved in blood and honor: cover the squad's withdrawal or die trying.

Roots Forged in Sacrifice

Born in Queensbury, New York, Charles grew up with grit stitched into his soul. A farmer’s son, he learned early what hard work and loyalty mean. Faith was his fortress—an unshakable belief that life’s trials test the purity of purpose. The Bible was never far; Psalm 23 whispered in the night:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”

That verse wasn’t a comfort—it was a mantle to wear in battle, a creed for warriors who face hell and refuse to bow.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. The world was still reeling from D-Day’s brutal foothold in Normandy. DeGlopper’s unit, Company C, 325th Glider Infantry, pushed forward toward the critical crossings of the Marne River near La Fière. The plan: secure the bridge and hold it against the Nazis scrambling to reclaim lost ground.

Enemy machine guns and mortars tore through the trees. Panic risked poison in the ranks. Amid the chaos, the order to withdraw came—fast and desperate.

DeGlopper saw two wounded soldiers pinned in the open. Without hesitation, he stepped forward to draw enemy fire, buying crucial seconds for his unit to pull back. His body became a shield, a lightning rod for bullets.

Under withering fire, he exposed himself repeatedly—firing his rifle until it jammed, pulling out his pistol, refusing to yield.

Witnesses said he shouted words of encouragement even as rounds ripped through the earth around him. His sacrifice broke the storm of fire long enough to save dozens of soldiers' lives.

Eventually, he fell, alone but unbroken. His bullet-riddled body was the final barrier between death and survival.

A Medal of Honor for Courage Beyond Words

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest recognition for valor—DeGlopper’s citation read:

“By his gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Pvt. DeGlopper made the supreme sacrifice.”

General Maxwell D. Taylor, commander of the 101st Airborne, praised him:

“The actions of Charles N. DeGlopper were the very definition of selfless courage and leadership.”

His name joined the vaulted ranks of warriors whose examples endure beyond death.

Legacy Carved in Steel and Memory

Charles DeGlopper’s sacrifice echoes in the corridors of history and hearts of soldiers. His story underscores the brutal calculus of war—the unsung moments when one man’s stand saves many lives.

His faith and heroism remind us that courage is often quiet—rooted in conviction, sustained by duty, and sealed in sacrifice.

Redemption is not only for the battlefield. It’s for every fight that tests the human spirit.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13

That is DeGlopper’s legacy. Not a mere tale of war, but a living testament to the cost of freedom—and the enduring power of a single soldier’s choice.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. National WWII Museum, 82nd Airborne Division History 3. General Maxwell D. Taylor, quoted in Stephen Ambrose, Citizen Soldiers 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Charles N. DeGlopper Citation and Biography