Charles DeGlopper's Stand at Normandy That Saved Dozens

Nov 30 , 2025

Charles DeGlopper's Stand at Normandy That Saved Dozens

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone, the relentless thrum of German fire crashing around him like a storm. His squad was trapped, pinned down, crawling backward under withering machine gun and mortar fire. There was no cover but himself—no hope but sacrifice. With every breath, DeGlopper fired. Bullets rattled off his helmet. The world blurred. Yet he held his ground. A single man became the shield for dozens.

Before the Fury: A Soldier Rooted in Faith and Family

Born July 27, 1921, in New York’s Greene County, Charles N. DeGlopper grew up on hard soil and harder lessons. His mother, a widow, raised him with firm faith and quiet resilience. Baptized within the Christian Church, DeGlopper carried scriptures in his heart long before combat called. He knew the weight of sorrow and the power of hope.

Enlisting in the Army in 1942, DeGlopper took with him a steadfast sense of duty. His faith sharpened his purpose—not for glory, but for the men beside him. He once wrote, “I have convictions strong enough to die for.” These were not empty words. They were the backbone of a code: protect your brothers, hold the line, sacrifice to save the many.

The Battle That Defined Him: The Curtain Rises on Normandy

June 9, 1944. Three days after D-Day. The rugged fields of Normandy lay before E Company, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. The fighting was hellish—confused, chaotic. Snipers, machine guns, artillery—death was a whisper and a scream.

As E Company pressed to secure a strategic ridge near Glison, a German counterattack ripped through their lines. DeGlopper’s platoon was ordered to cover the units’ withdrawal.

Enemy machine guns opened fire. The order came: fall back. But retreat meant slaughter. DeGlopper chose the other path.

He stood in the open field.

With rifle in hand, he began firing from a kneeling position.

Then he moved forward, crawling on his belly under relentless fire. Bullets traced dust near his face. Ignoring wounds, he picked himself up, throwing grenades, mowing down enemy threats, buying seconds for his comrades.

His single courageous stand was a lifeline.

“Charles DeGlopper’s determined action broke the enemy's momentum...he was fatally wounded while covering the withdrawal of his company.” — Medal of Honor citation, 1945[1]

His last moments were a testament to sacrifice beyond self—a shield soaked in blood but unmoved in spirit.

Recognition Born of Blood

For his gallantry, DeGlopper was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously on November 1, 1945. His citation described a soldier "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty."

Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor of the 82nd Airborne said it best:

“On that field near Glison, Charles DeGlopper taught us the measure of courage. His is a legacy of selfless valor."

Soldiers who survived because of him carried his memory like a brand. They spoke of his calm under fire, his unyielding presence when retreat seemed certain death.

Legacy in the Soil: Courage Is Never Silent

Charles N. DeGlopper’s story is carved in the ground of Normandy and in the heart of every combat veteran who knows the price of brotherhood.

He did not choose to die. He chose to live through his brothers.

His sacrifice reminds us that valor is not just bursts of heroism—it is the quiet decision to stand under fire so others may fall back.

DeGlopper’s example resounds today as a beacon for soldiers and civilians alike. It is the impossible standard—we hold when the world threatens to crumble.

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

His blood waters the roots of freedom, and from it grows the enduring lesson:

Some sacrifices echo beyond the battlefield.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II, "Charles N. DeGlopper." 2. 82nd Airborne Division Association, “DeGlopper’s Stand at Glison,” Combat Histories, 1944. 3. Medal of Honor citation, Department of Defense Archives, November 1, 1945.