Charles DeGlopper's Stand at Normandy with the 82nd Airborne

Feb 05 , 2026

Charles DeGlopper's Stand at Normandy with the 82nd Airborne

The bullets came screaming like death itself. Charles DeGlopper stood alone, on a scraped hilltop in Normandy, facing a relentless storm of machine gun fire. All around him, his 82nd Airborne brothers fought a desperate withdrawal. He knew their lives rested on his single pair of shoulders.

The Battle That Defined Him

France, June 9, 1944. The day after D-Day. The 82nd Airborne Division had parachuted behind enemy lines, tangled in chaos and carnage. Charles DeGlopper, Private First Class, of Company C, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, heard the order—fall back from a ruined farm. But falling back without cover meant annihilation.

He refused to run. He stepped onto that knoll with a single Browning Automatic Rifle. Enemy machine guns and snipers zeroed in. His squad was retreating. He was the shield.

DeGlopper fired round after round, his every shot buying precious seconds. When the enemy poured through a hedgerow, cutting off the flank, he stood fast. Twice, wounded severely, he fired until his last breath.

He died that day—a lone sentinel sacrificing himself in the inferno of Normandy, saving his men.

Background & Faith

Born in Mechanicville, New York, Charles grew up rooted in hard, honest labor and unshakable faith. Raised by parents who instilled a fierce work ethic and reverence for duty, he carried his convictions into the army.

“For me, fighting wasn’t just service—it was sacred,” said a childhood friend years later. He believed in something greater than himself, quoting Psalm 23 in letters home:

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

A simple man, grounded in scripture and steel, Charles lived by a warrior’s honor—protect your brothers at all costs. The war forged his scars and faith alike.

The Crucible of Combat

June 9 was hell unleashed. The 325th Glider Infantry faced brutal counterattacks as the Germans tried to rip open the southern flank of the beachhead. DeGlopper’s squad was being flanked, cut off.

See, the glider infantry operated differently from paratroopers—they landed as reinforcements behind enemy lines, often underprepared, outgunned, outnumbered.

DeGlopper’s actions literally kept his unit from being encircled. According to Medal of Honor citations:

“Although painfully wounded... he refused to leave his position, firing his weapon to hold off the enemy until he succumbed to his wounds.”

His selfless act delayed the enemy advance long enough for friendly forces to regroup and counterattack.

Recognition: Medal of Honor

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on August 8, 1944, Charles N. DeGlopper’s citation echoes the gravity of his sacrifice. General Matthew Ridgway called his bravery “an inspiration and example to every soldier.”

Comrades remembered him as a man who didn’t hesitate. Privately, one said:

“Chuck wasn’t looking for medals. He was looking out for us. He made the ultimate choice, taking fire so none of us would have to.”

The citation reads:

“In the face of overwhelming enemy fire, Private DeGlopper fixed his bayonet and charged... His actions enabled his company to withdraw in good order without the loss of additional personnel.”

His name is etched alongside other greats at the 82nd Airborne’s Halls of Valor—a testament to blood paid in freedom’s currency.

Legacy & Lessons

DeGlopper’s story isn’t just one of valor; it’s a blueprint of sacrifice etched in bone and bleed. He embodies the raw truth every veteran knows: the price of cover fire, the weight of those left behind.

His courage reminds us that heroism isn’t in glory—it’s in the bloody, grinding moments of decision. Sometimes the battlefield’s mercy is silence, and the legacy we leave is redemption.

His sacrifice teaches the living to carry the fallen forward.

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

Charles DeGlopper gave his tomorrow so others could see theirs. His stand under fire was not just a moment in history, but a lasting call—to honor every soldier’s fight with remembrance and purpose.

When guns fall silent and wounds heal, his story remains holy ground. The price paid was horror. The legacy is hope.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Citation for Charles N. DeGlopper. 2. O’Donnell, Patrick K., Beyond Valor: A History of the 82nd Airborne in World War II. 3. Ambrose, Stephen E., D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II.