Charles N. DeGlopper, Medal of Honor hero who held the line

Jan 12 , 2026

Charles N. DeGlopper, Medal of Honor hero who held the line

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone on a narrow ridge, dirt exploding around his boots, bullets tearing through the air like angry hornets. His squad was falling back, battered and broken, desperate to live. No orders called for one man to hold this deathtrap—but he did. He chose to make the last stand. For every step his brothers retreated, Charles gave cover fire. One man. Against a flood of enemy fire. Death was close, but surrender never an option.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9th, 1944. Normandy's dirt soaked with blood and mud.

DeGlopper was a Private First Class in Company C, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. The Allies had smashed into Europe just days before D-Day; the fight was raw, fierce, and unforgiving. The 82nd parachuted in to cut German supply lines.

As the regiment retreated across the flooded Merderet River, the enemy closed in—machine guns and mortars pouring fire. The regiment’s only chance was to cross quickly. But a bridgehead was lost, and the men found themselves pinned, bleeding in the jaws of a counterattack.

Amidst chaos, DeGlopper took a position atop a small knoll. Alone, he laid down continuous suppressive fire. His squad made it across, but he stayed behind. Friends screamed for him to fall back, but he refused. Every round he fired slowed the enemy’s advance. Every shot saved a life.

He was hit multiple times. Heroism was the word; sacrifice—the cost. Charles died holding that ground.

The Man Behind the Rifle

Born 1921 in Mechanicville, New York, Charles grew into a man forged by simplicity and plain-spoken values. Raised in a working-class family, he learned early the meaning of duty—family first, honor intact.

Faith anchored him. Testimonies from friends recall a quiet, steady man who carried scripture in his heart. A warrior humbled beneath the weight of God’s will, he bore the scars of both physical wounds and spiritual burdens.

DeGlopper didn’t seek glory. He fought out of loyalty, a sacred trust with brothers in arms. His sacrifice was not for medals or applause—it was a call answered in the darkest moments.

The Thunder of Combat

On that ridge, DeGlopper’s fire wasn’t frantic. It was methodical, precise, brutal—each volley telling the enemy, “You will not break us here.” His M1 rifle was an instrument of lethal grace.

For twenty minutes, he held the line. The ground shook with mortar strikes. His comrades could only watch in disbelief as he staved off the enemy.

When silence finally fell, so did Charles—his breaths shallow, eyes heavy. He was already gone.

His actions forged a path that saved dozens of men that day.

Recognition Etched in Valor

Posthumous Medal of Honor awarded November 1, 1944.

The official citation lays bare the cost:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. When his unit was forced to withdraw, Private DeGlopper voluntarily remained behind on the exposed hill and single-handedly covered the retreat of the remainder of the company by engaging the enemy in a series of fierce firefights. He was severely wounded, but he denied the enemy’s advance until he succumbed to his wounds."

General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne during WWII, once said of the regiment’s sacrifices, “They fought with the courage of lions… men like DeGlopper gave us a legacy of honor.”

Legacy in Blood and Prayer

Charles N. DeGlopper’s name lives on—not just on a plaque or a ribbon, but in the whispered prayers of brothers who owe their lives to his courage.

His story asks: what does it mean to stand when all things scream run?

It’s a call to take the impossible burden, pay a price with no guarantee, and do it humbly.

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

In a world quick to forget, DeGlopper’s scarred shadow reminds us—freedom costs blood and history demands memory.

To veterans walking home with their own ghosts, he’s proof that valor transcends death.

His sacrifice echoes a timeless truth: legacy is born in sacrifice, and faith turns suffering into purpose.

DeGlopper didn’t just hold the line—he held a light for generations who dare to stand in the face of war’s chaos.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (G–L) 2. Theodore J. Karamanski, The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War II 3. Matthew B. Ridgway, Soldier: The Memoirs of Matthew B. Ridgway 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Charles N. DeGlopper Citation