Dec 10 , 2025
Charles N. DeGlopper Medal of Honor Recipient at Normandy
Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone in the wreckage of shattered fields, bullets tearing past him like hail. The air smelled of gunpowder and death, thick with smoke and the cries of men falling behind. His squad was retreating. Only one man could cover that desperate withdrawal. He chose to be that man.
Forged in Small-Town New York and Faith
Born in 1921, Charles grew up in Mechanicville, New York, a quiet town where hard work and quiet faith stitched the community tight. His parents instilled values that would never leave him: loyalty to comrades and belief in a just cause.
Before the war, he worked as a welder, a steady hand shaping metal under pressure. That grit followed him to the U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment. He was a man grounded in purpose, anchored by something beyond himself.
His faith wasn't loud, but it was steady—a shield behind every move. DeGlopper carried a Bible in his uniform pocket. He clung to a verse that whispered in the chaos:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
The Battle That Defined Him: Normandy, June 9, 1944
Two days after D-Day, as the Allies fought tooth and nail to break out from the deadly beaches of Normandy, Sergeant DeGlopper found himself in the bloody orchards near La Fière, a critical point to secure Allied advancement.
His platoon was ordered to withdraw. German machine guns and mortars hammered their every step. The margin for error was zero.
DeGlopper volunteered to cover the retreat alone.
With one BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), he laid down suppressive fire, drawing enemy attention and incoming rounds like metal to a magnet. Each burst slowed the enemy’s advance, giving his teammates just enough time to scramble into safety.
He took hit after hit. Bullets tore through his right thigh and right arm. But still, he kept firing.
When his BAR jammed, he fought with his pistol and fists.
Witnesses say DeGlopper’s final stand bought nearly ten crucial minutes for his unit. His body found later near the enemy lines, riddled with bullets, still clutching his weapon.
His sacrifice was not a desperate last act. It was deliberate, calculated, heroic.
Medal of Honor for Unyielding Valor
On September 30, 1944, President Harry S. Truman posthumously awarded Charles N. DeGlopper the Medal of Honor.
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty..." — Medal of Honor Citation
General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne, called DeGlopper’s actions “the finest example of individual heroism” he had ever witnessed in combat.
Fellow soldiers remembered him as steady, brave, and fiercely loyal.
Private John H. Pearson described DeGlopper’s fight:
“He kept his head when bullets were whistling past. He wasn’t thinking about himself. That’s the kind of man who inspires you to fight harder.”
Enduring Legacy: Courage Etched in Blood and Honor
Charles N. DeGlopper’s story isn’t just a footnote in dusty archives. It’s a beacon flashing through the smoke for every soldier who doubts their purpose in the nightmare of war.
His sacrifice teaches this: courage is not the absence of fear. It is the resolve to stand and fight—alone if necessary—so others live to fight another day.
He died holding the line, but his legacy holds open the gates of hope—for freedom, for brotherhood, for redemption.
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” — Matthew 5:9
His name is etched into the Normandy American Cemetery, but more than that—it echoes in every heartbeat of every soldier who shoulders the weight of sacrifice and honor.
Charles N. DeGlopper gave all he had so others might see another dawn.
Remember that. Remember him. And live with the fire he left behind.
Sources
1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Charles N. DeGlopper Citation 3. Ridgway, Matthew B., The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II (U.S. Army Historical Series) 4. Normandy American Cemetery, Records and Memorials
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