Charles N. DeGlopper’s Normandy stand that saved fellow soldiers

Oct 03 , 2025

Charles N. DeGlopper’s Normandy stand that saved fellow soldiers

He stood alone on that Normandy ridge, bullets stitching the air like angry wind. Surrounding him, chaos; behind him, a retreat spiraling into disorder. Charles N. DeGlopper didn’t flinch. He blew smoke in the face of death. His body would soon fall, but his stand would buy his brothers time to live.

The Roots of Honor

Born in Mechanicville, New York, 1921, DeGlopper was a son of modest means and steadfast faith. Raised in a family that prized duty above comfort, his early years were built on honest labor and quiet prayer. The faith he held was not loud—it was forged in Sunday hymns and the weight of sacrifice.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

This scripture was no Sunday school teaching for Charles. It was the compass—and he carried it into the darkest hells.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. Three days after D-Day, his unit—the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division—was tasked with holding a critical bridgehead across the Merderet River near La Fière. The situation was hell on earth. German forces counter-attacked with crushing firepower.

As American forces began to pull back under overwhelming pressure, a retreat risked turning into a rout.

DeGlopper volunteered to cover the withdrawal.

His weapon? An M1 rifle.

His position? A small clearing, miles outnumbered.

He opened fire, relentless and unforgiving—dragging bullets from the jaws of death with steady resolve. The enemy poured grenades and machine-gun fire into his position.

Witnesses recalled how he called out to his comrades, warning and rallying them even as shrapnel tore his body apart. He was hit multiple times but kept reloading, kept firing, until finally, he fell.

His actions bought precious minutes. His sacrifice stopped the enemy advance, saving many lives.

Recognition Among Brothers

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the nation's highest military decoration—DeGlopper’s citation praises “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

“DeGlopper’s heroic stand is one of the finest examples of selfless courage in the 82nd’s proud history.” — Brigadier General James M. Gavin, commander, 82nd Airborne Division[^1]

His name is etched on the Tablets of the Missing in the Normandy American Cemetery. His story is told in unit histories and memorials—not as legend, but as a solemn fact of sacrifice.

Enduring Legacy

The scars of war are not just on flesh but on the soul. DeGlopper’s fight was more than a desperate bid for survival—it was a living sermon on courage and love.

Veterans understand this kind of sacrifice. Civilians can only grasp glimpses. But all must reckon with the price paid by men like Charles N. DeGlopper.

His legacy reminds us that true valor is measured in the moments you face annihilation with steady hands and an unyielding heart.

He gave the ultimate promise: that even in the fiercest storm, a man’s spirit could still stand for his brothers.

That promise is sacred.

That promise is forever.

Sources

[^1]: Department of the Army, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II, (Washington, D.C., 1984) 82nd Airborne Division Association, "A Stand at La Fière”