Jan 07 , 2026
Charles DeGlopper's Normandy Sacrifice and Medal of Honor
The air shredded with gunfire. Smoke stung his eyes. Charles N. DeGlopper stepped into a death trap, alone against a German force bent on cutting down his unit. His rifle cracked — a heartbeat of defiance — as he gave cover for his comrades to escape. He fell. But his sacrifice carved a path through hell.
The Formation of a Soldier
Charles N. DeGlopper was born into the rugged soil of Mechanicville, New York, raised on sturdy values and a quiet faith. A simple boy shaped by hard work and an unyielding sense of duty. Before war called, he tended fields and family, holding onto a belief that life meant standing firm when the storm came.
His hometown whispered prayers and hope on the wind. The Bible was a constant—words carrying strength for the battles he never imagined facing. “Be strong and courageous,” he must have whispered before boarding the troopship. Not for glory, but because a higher purpose demanded it.
The Battle That Defined Him
June 9, 1944. Just three days after D-Day. The 82nd Airborne Division had dropped into Normandy’s deadly labyrinth. Private First Class DeGlopper belonged to Company C, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, tasked with pushing through German resistance near the town of La Fière.
The mission turned brutal.
His unit was pinned down, retreat blocked by relentless enemy fire — machine guns, mortars, the shriek of artillery. Chaos pressed in from all sides. Men faltered, faltered where courage was the only shield left.
DeGlopper did the unthinkable.
He rose alone, exposing himself to enemy guns, drawing fire so his brothers could pull back. He fired his rifle relentlessly—one man standing against a tide. Soldiers later recalled hearing his voice above gunfire: steady, resolute.
He bought time with his life.
Minutes stretched like hours. His rifle empty, he grabbed his pistol and fought up to the last bullet. His body crumpled, riddled with wounds, but the retreat was secured. His sacrifice saved a squad, perhaps a company, from annihilation.
Medals and Words From the Dust
Posthumously, Charles N. DeGlopper was awarded the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest tribute for valor beyond the call. His citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. With enemy machine gun fire sweeping his position and mortars landing close, Private First Class DeGlopper single-handedly held off the hostile troops, enabling his comrades to withdraw to safety.
Leaders who served with him spoke of his “fearless devotion” and “unyielding spirit.”
Major General Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne, called him a “shining example of the airborne soldier”[1].
The Legacy of Blood and Faith
Charles DeGlopper’s story is carved into the soil of Normandy, a testament to the raw grit needed to stand when death itself sits at your shoulder.
He embodied a warrior’s truth: courage isn’t the absence of fear, but action in spite of it. His faith anchored that truth. The ultimate price he paid was never for personal glory. It was redemption through sacrifice, a chapter in a much larger story of freedom’s cost.
His name endures — etched in memorials, honored by those who understand what it truly means to leave everything behind.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
DeGlopper’s battlefield courage echoes as a challenge to every generation—stand firm, cover your brothers, hold to the fight that matters. His sacrifice calls us beyond empty words, reminding us that true valor demands everything: life, limb, and reckless love.
The soil around La Fière is stained, but his spirit soars free. In his scars, we see the price paid. In his story, we find the enduring strength of the warrior’s heart.
Sources
1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (A-F)” 2. “82nd Airborne Division Museum,” Fort Bragg Historical Archives 3. Staff Sergeant Charles DeGlopper Medal of Honor Citation, National Archives
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