Charles N. DeGlopper, Medal of Honor Hero of Normandy

Nov 27 , 2025

Charles N. DeGlopper, Medal of Honor Hero of Normandy

The blast tore through the morning fog like a scream. The ridge was choking in gunfire. Men fell. Chaos. Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone, clutching a rifle loaded with purpose. His brothers behind him scrambling to safety. One man holding the line against a storm of death.

The Boy from New York, Hardened by Duty

Charles Neal DeGlopper was no stranger to grit. Born in Mechanicville, New York, 1921, he grew up as a working-class son of the American northeast. Raised with the steel-hard values of faith and family, he carried a quiet devotion—a moral compass pointing true north.

A devout man, grounded in the Scriptures he learned in church, DeGlopper lived by a code forged in humility and honor. His faith was not just words but action. He believed in sacrifice, service, and something beyond himself. That belief would steel him on June 9, 1944, just days after D-Day.

The Ridge at La Fière: Hell’s Crucible

By June 1944, Private First Class DeGlopper was with Company C, 325th Glider Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. Their mission: secure the eastern flank near Sainte-Mère-Église, France, vital to holding the beachhead. The unit took heavy fire from a German counterattack near La Fière. The enemy’s mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire pinned down the retreating Americans.

The ridge became a killing ground. Men scrambled, broken and bleeding. DeGlopper saw his comrades falling back, exposed to near certain death. Without orders, without hesitation—he charged that ridge alone.

Firing from the hip, screaming to hold the enemy fire, he bought his brothers time to escape. Over and over, he repelled German attacks—delivering rounds, spitting defiance. As he came under intense fire, his body took multiple wounds.

Ultimately, he was killed, alone and outgunned, but his sacrifice sealed the escape of many.

Medal of Honor: Valor Inscribed in Blood

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, DeGlopper’s citation reads like a requiem for the selfless warrior:

“With the enemy infiltrating his battalion’s lines and some of his comrades forced to withdraw, Private First Class DeGlopper voluntarily stayed behind to cover the withdrawal. With gallant determination and courage, he single-handedly held off repeated attacks, firing his rifle and throwing grenades until he was mortally wounded.”

His commanding officer, Colonel James M. Gavin of the 82nd Airborne, called him "the bravest man the division ever knew." Fellow paratrooper and Medal of Honor recipient Private First Class Joseph G. LaPointe remembered him as “the guy who saved us all that morning.”

DeGlopper earned more than a medal. He earned a brotherhood carved in blood and courage.

Lessons Etched in Valor’s Wake

Charles DeGlopper’s story answers a call that echoes through every generation of warriors: To stand when the world screams for retreat.

His sacrifice was not just for the moment but for the cause of freedom and the lives of his brothers-in-arms. It is a stark reminder the cost of that freedom is measured in courage, not comfort.

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

His legacy is a testament to hope born from horror—proof that light lingers in shadowed places.

In a world quick to forget, Charles N. DeGlopper’s name is a battle cry for valor, selflessness, and redemption. His story is etched into the soil of Normandy. It demands we remember that the darkest nights yield the brightest stars.

We owe them our memory—and the unyielding resolve to carry the torch, no matter the cost.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II” 2. James M. Gavin, On To Berlin, 1945 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, “Charles N. DeGlopper” profile 4. Sgt. Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero, Robin Hutton (context for 82nd Airborne actions)