Charles N. DeGlopper’s Medal of Honor sacrifice at Normandy

Jan 28 , 2026

Charles N. DeGlopper’s Medal of Honor sacrifice at Normandy

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone on that shattered ridge—bullets whipping past, the earth exploding at his feet. His voice cut through the chaos, yelling for his men to retreat. Then he did the impossible: he held the line, a one-man wall against a storm of death.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. The assault on Normandy was barely two days old. The 82nd Airborne Division was tasked with pushing past the Saint-Lo area in France. DeGlopper’s unit, Company C, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, found themselves pinned down. The enemy was closing in, crippled only by fright and firepower—but the Germans were ruthless, determined to crush every last American foothold.

They needed cover to pull back. Someone had to buy time.

Charles DeGlopper volunteered. Alone, he stepped toward intense machine gun fire, waving his rifle like a torch in the night.

He fired relentlessly, throwing every ounce of grit and defiance behind those shots—25 bullets before he fell. His sacrifice slowed the enemy just long enough for his comrades to escape.

Background & Faith

Raised in Albany, New York, DeGlopper was a stock boy before the war—hard-working, humble, grounded. A devout man, his letters home touched on faith more than fear. “God has me in his hands,” he wrote, a quiet backbone in a world gone mad.

His faith wasn’t empty words. It was the code he carried into battle: protect your brothers, stand your ground, never waver. Mercy and courage, bound by belief that death was not the end—only the next fight.

The Final Stand

His company fought through hell. The roads were littered with the wounded and dead. DeGlopper’s platoon was ordered to retreat. But without cover fire, retreat meant slaughter.

He sprinted forward, fists clenched on his M1 Garand, yelling to draw enemy fire. The bullets tore into him, but he kept firing, shouting, holding until his body could hold no more.

When medics reached him, they found a soldier who had died standing—rifle in hand, sweat and blood mixing in the mud.

Recognition & Respect

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on November 1, 1944, DeGlopper’s citation lauded his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity…at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.” The official record reads:

“He deliberately drew the hostile fire in order to permit the withdrawal of his comrades. … His heroic act unquestionably saved the lives of many men.”[^1]

His company commander, Major Julian Cook, remarked years later, “Charlie’s courage saved my men. It was a sacrifice no man could forget.”

Legacy & Lessons

Charles N. DeGlopper’s sacrifice echoes beyond Normandy’s muddy fields. He embodies the raw truth of combat: courage is forged in fear, and salvation in sacrifice.

His story teaches us that valor is not just the charge or shout—but the quiet moment a man chooses to stand alone, knowing it will cost everything.

In a world quick to glorify power, DeGlopper reminds us: true strength lives in selflessness. His faith gave his death meaning—a reminder that from brokenness, redemption rises.

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

His legacy is not just a history lesson; it is a living call to live with honor under fire, to carry the fallen forward in our hearts, and to never forget what was won and what was lost on that bloody ridge.

[^1]: U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (G–L)