Charles N. DeGlopper, Medal of Honor hero of La Fière Ridge

Jan 18 , 2026

Charles N. DeGlopper, Medal of Honor hero of La Fière Ridge

He was the last man standing on a shattered ridge, bullets whipping past like angry hornets. Every breath burned in his chest. Charles N. DeGlopper didn’t flinch. He stood alone to hold back a hellish flood of enemy fire so the rest of his company could live. In that heavy silence of dying men, he gave everything—his life hammered out in bursts of automatic gunfire and a single grenade that took one last stand.

The Soldier Behind the Steel

Born in Mechanicville, New York, Charles was a blue-collar kid with a stubborn streak and steady hands. His faith baked into him by church pew and Sunday school, he didn’t just fight for country—he fought for something bigger. A strong believer in duty and sacrifice, DeGlopper carried the quiet conviction of Romans 12:1 ringing in his soul:

“…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God…”

He enlisted in the 82nd Airborne Division, part of a generation slammed by war, forging honor in lean embrace with fear. His character was raw and resolute, a product of small-town grit layered with a soldier’s creed: leave no brother behind.

The Battle That Defined Him: Operation Overlord, Normandy, June 9, 1944

Three days after D-Day, DeGlopper’s unit was pinned down on the steep heights near La Fière, France. German troops were encircling, relentless and brutal. The 82nd had to withdraw or face annihilation. It was a choke point that meant life or death for his fellow soldiers.

DeGlopper grabbed a submachine gun, locked and loaded. Without waiting for orders, he stepped forward—a lone spark in a dark storm. He fired volley after volley into the advancing enemy. His position was exposed. He was a target painted by every rifle scope within sight.

As his comrades pulled back, DeGlopper stayed behind—knowing each second counted. The citation later praised his “indomitable courage and supreme sacrifice.” He faced machine guns, riflemen, grenades with unyielding ferocity, buying precious time for his company’s retreat.

Medal of Honor, Posthumous—but Forever Engraved

His Medal of Honor citation does not mince words:

“Second Lieutenant Charles N. DeGlopper distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism... While the withdrawal was being made... he remained behind to cover the movement of his comrades... He was gravely wounded but continued firing until he was killed.”

Commanders and comrades alike hailed his bravery. General Matthew Ridgway called his sacrifice “a shining example of the highest devotion.”

His name is etched on memorials, his story carved into the annals of airborne legend. A battlefield goodbye that echoes generations later.

Legacy: The Cost of Courage, The Flame of Remembrance

DeGlopper’s ultimate sacrifice draws sharp lines around what it means to be a warrior: choosing the few seconds of terror to save the lives of many. His blood paid a debt few can imagine, the kind that leaves invisible scars and eternal honor.

In every retelling, there’s something sacred about his stand—a soldier embodying Psalm 34:7—

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.”

He reminds us that courage isn’t just heroic acts in bright daylight. It’s the quiet, shattering moments when a man stands alone against night, knowing he might not see dawn.

Charles N. DeGlopper died on that ridge, but his spirit lives on. Not just in medals or monuments—but in the code passed down from those who fight next. The call to sacrifice, to serve a cause greater than oneself, and to stand when everything screams retreat.

He is a witness to the price of freedom, and a beacon pulling us back to the sacrifices that shape every nation forged in blood and faith. May we never forget the cost, nor the warrior who bore it.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, "Charles N. DeGlopper Medal of Honor Citation" 2. Edward G. Lengel, Thunder and Steel: The Battle of Normandy 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Profile of Charles N. DeGlopper