Charles DeGlopper's Medal of Honor Sacrifice in Normandy

Nov 02 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Medal of Honor Sacrifice in Normandy

Charles DeGlopper stood alone on that flood-slick ridge, soaked in mud and gunpowder. A massacre was closing in on his men—a chokehold tightening by the second. With no orders, no reinforcements, he made the choice: to hold the line or die.

The shells fell like thunder. The screams and rattle of machine guns draped over the hills like death’s shadow. But DeGlopper fired back—one man, brave as a pack—drawing fire away from his retreating squad. No hesitation. No looking back.

Background & Faith

Born in Mechanicville, New York, Charles N. DeGlopper was no stranger to hard work or quiet resolve. Raised in a modest home, he carried the kind of grit only forged by labor and faith. Raised Catholic, grounded in scripture and a simple moral clarity, DeGlopper’s character bore the hallmarks of a man who understood sacrifice not as tragedy, but as duty.

His comrades remembered him as steady, level-headed. His sense of right and wrong wasn’t taught—it was lived. No bravado, just a soldier’s humility wrapped in a firm belief that “Greater love hath no man than this...” was more than words. It was a way forward.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944—Operation Overlord was in its brutal infancy. The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, was fighting tooth and nail near Ste. Mere Eglise, Normandy.

The enemy pressed hard, pushing American lines back with savage intent. Their mission was clear: delay the advancing German forces to save their battalion’s retreat.

DeGlopper volunteered to cover the withdrawal—not by order, but by instinct. Armed with a Browning Automatic Rifle, he exposed himself to a hailstorm of bullets. Standing alone on that ridge in the shadow of the flooded Merderet River, he unleashed a suppressive firestorm.

His crew wiped out, he refused to fall back. His actions gave his men the precious seconds they needed to escape near-certain annihilation. Each burst was a prayer, a plea to hold the line just a little longer.

Ultimately, DeGlopper was overwhelmed, struck down by enemy fire. But his sacrifice wasn’t in vain. His defense slowed the German advance, allowing at least fifteen men to live and fight another day.

Recognition

On December 9, 1944, Charles N. DeGlopper was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

His citation laid bare the savage heroism he showed:

“He remained standing in the face of intense enemy fire, firing his automatic rifle and thus covering the movement of the withdrawing riflemen of his company. Although wounded, he continued to stand and fire until he was killed.”[1]

Brigadier General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, said of DeGlopper:

“A paratrooper’s paratrooper... a man who gave all he was to save his unit.”

His story is etched into the granite of American valor—a brutal reminder that some sacrifices demand everything.

Legacy & Lessons

DeGlopper’s stand teaches a bitter truth: freedom is guarded in moments drenched in blood and courage. His battle was not one of glory, but necessity—a silent promise to his brothers in arms.

We honor not the death, but the purpose behind it. The choice to face overwhelming odds so others live. This is the raw, unforgiving nature of combat—the kind only true warriors know.

His sacrifice reflects a wider narrative etched deep in every veteran’s soul: that courage is not absence of fear, but the will to act in spite of it. The faith that no cost is too high when the lives of brothers hang in the balance.

In these broken times, may we remember Charles DeGlopper—not as a distant hero, but as a man who embodied the eternal call to serve and protect, even unto death.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II [2] Steven E. Clay, U.S. Army Order of Battle, 1919–1941 [3] John C. McManus, The Deadly Brotherhood: The American Combat Soldier in World War II