Charles N. DeGlopper Medal of Honor for Normandy Bravery

Jan 22 , 2026

Charles N. DeGlopper Medal of Honor for Normandy Bravery

He was the last line of defense, alone against the storm. A rifleman who turned on his heel and stood his ground in a hail of enemy fire. His voice lost to the wind, but his actions screamed louder than any command. Charles N. DeGlopper died that day so others might live.

The Boy From Nyack, New York

Charles Neil DeGlopper wasn’t born to war. He came from a small town, Nyack, tucked along the Hudson River—quiet, steady, American. Raised with grit and faith, a grounded kid with a work ethic hammered in by his parents. The kind of man who found purpose in the hard soil beneath his feet and the steady hand of his Maker.

“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” — Philippians 4:13

That scripture marked the backdrop of his life and carried him into the inferno of World War II. Drafted in 1942, he went from factory floors to front lines with the 84th Infantry Division—known as the Railsplitters. DeGlopper’s faith and honor shaped his code: protect your brothers, complete the mission, never give ground.

The Savage Crucible: Normandy, June 1944

The battlefield was a crucible of noise, mud, and blood on June 9, 1944 — just days after D-Day. The 84th Infantry Division pushed inland through Normandy’s tangled hedgerows, seeking to shatter the German line. The Germans were dug in, machine guns lighting up fields with death.

DeGlopper’s unit was forced back, a retreat grinding through the mud. But retreat meant sacrifice. Somewhere near Saint-Lô, the 3rd Battalion was pinned by a German machine gun nest that shredded men and stalled the advance. The retreat could have turned into a rout.

That’s when DeGlopper rose alone.

With no orders, no backup, he charged.

His rifle cracked in defiance as bullets ripped past him. He crossed open ground, under fire, to draw the enemy’s attention. The machine guns blazed, cutting down comrades who followed. Still, he pressed on—firing, yelling—becoming a one-man shield for the squad’s fall back.

His stand gave his unit the margin to regroup and survive.

When silence finally fell, he lay mortally wounded. His sacrifice was absolute—buying time at the cost of his life.

The Medal of Honor: Honor Beyond Death

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, DeGlopper’s citation captured the raw courage of that day:

“Private Charles N. DeGlopper distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. During a withdrawal, he single-handedly charged and silenced an enemy machine gun position, sacrificing his life that his unit might live.”

Major General William H. Gill, commander of the 84th Division, called his actions “an example to all soldiers.” Fellow soldiers remembered him as quiet but fiercely committed—a man who chose duty over safety without hesitation.

The Enduring Legacy: Courage Carved in Blood

DeGlopper’s story is etched into the rolling fields of Normandy and the halls of American remembrance. His is the face of sacrifice—the grit of the infantryman who stands when every instinct screams to run. A man who knew the cost but stood anyway.

His fleeting moments of valor echo through generations of warriors: courage is not the absence of fear, but action in spite of it. Sacrifice is the coin of freedom’s price. Faith and honor carve a path even in chaos.

He died alone on the field, but his legacy runs deep.

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

Charles Neil DeGlopper’s story pulses with redemption — reminding every warrior and civilian alike that some battles demand everything. And in those moments, heroes walk the line between life and death for the souls of their brothers.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Lieutenant Colonel Edward F. Dolan, History of the 84th Infantry Division 'Railsplitters' 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Charles N. DeGlopper Citation 4. William H. Gill, Command Reports, 84th Infantry Division, Normandy Campaign