Charles N. DeGlopper’s Last Stand That Earned the Medal of Honor

Jan 21 , 2026

Charles N. DeGlopper’s Last Stand That Earned the Medal of Honor

Exploding shells. Screams ripping the night. Somewhere in Normandy’s ghostly fields, a lone soldier stands defiant, holding the line while his squad scrambles to safety. That was Charles N. DeGlopper—facing death with nothing left but grit, faith, and an unyielding sense of duty. His last stand rewrote the cost of sacrifice.

The Boy from Queens with a Steel Backbone

Charles Norman DeGlopper came from Queens, New York. Raised in a working-class neighborhood where hard work and straight shooting were currency. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, joining the 82nd Airborne Division, known for grit and guts.

Faith was never far from his heart. Family and church gave him foundation—the kind of foundation that steels a man to face hell and hold fast. Those values shaped him: loyalty, courage, and service beyond self.

“He was the kind of soldier who believed his duty didn’t end when the bullets stopped flying,” recalled his comrades.[^1]

The Battle That Defined Him: Hill 192, Normandy, July 18, 1944

Hill 192—an embattled ridge west of Saint-Lo—was vital terrain. The Allies needed it to break German lines in Normandy after D-Day. DeGlopper’s unit, Company C, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, was tasked to seize and hold this deadly prize.[^2]

During the brutal fight, the company was under withering machine-gun and rifle fire. German troops counterattacked relentlessly, pushing the Americans back.

When the order came to withdraw, DeGlopper stayed—alone, a figure swallowed by smoke and slaughter. Why? To cover the retreat of his comrades.

With his Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), he poured fire into the enemy, scattering their advance and buying precious seconds. Each burst was a thread holding life and hope together.

They say he fired until he ran out of ammo—then fought hand-to-hand before falling mortally wounded.

His sacrifice saved at least a dozen soldiers from death or capture that day.

Recognition Etched in Valor

Charles N. DeGlopper’s courage did not go unnoticed. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the highest U.S. military decoration. His citation is stark in its reverence:

“With complete disregard for his own life, he covered the withdrawal of his company from under very heavy enemy fire, thereby materially assisting in the successful disengagement of the unit.”[^3]

Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor, commanding officer of the 82nd Airborne Division, called DeGlopper’s actions “the finest example of personal valor I have witnessed in this division.”

The hill itself stands as a testament. A monument there now immortalizes his name—engraved among the sons who paid the ultimate price for freedom.

Forever in the Scars We Bear

DeGlopper’s story is raw truth writ in blood and faith. He showed us what true sacrifice looks like—not the heroic pose, but the grueling choice to stand fast when everything screams run.

His faith carried him through those final moments. Psalm 23 rings true:

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”

In every grit-filled moment of battle, every man who understands the meaning of sacrifice hears his name. He is a beacon for those who know the cost of saving others first.

The legacy of Charles N. DeGlopper reminds us all: Courage is costly. Sacrifice is personal. But through that sacrifice, redemption and hope endure—long after the guns fall silent.

His final act wasn’t just to hold a hill—it was to hold the line for all who would come after.

And in that truth, his blood still speaks.

[^1]: 82nd Airborne Division Unit History, “Glider Infantry Regiment Memoirs,” 1944. [^2]: Stephen Ambrose, Citizen Soldiers, Simon & Schuster, 1997. [^3]: U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Citation, Charles N. DeGlopper.