Charles N. DeGlopper's Last Stand at Normandy and the Medal of Honor

Dec 06 , 2025

Charles N. DeGlopper's Last Stand at Normandy and the Medal of Honor

The rain was cold. The mud sucked at boots like a beast dragging men down. Bullets screamed and exploded—death was all around. In the chaos, one man stood alone, a thin figure fighting to hold back an enemy tide that was swallowing his brothers alive. Charles N. DeGlopper knew this would cost him everything. But he didn’t hesitate.

The Soldier Behind the Salute

Born in Albany, New York, 1921, Charles was a farm boy forged in quiet discipline and strong faith. Raised in a working-class family, he learned early the value of hard work and honor—not just in duty, but in life itself. His church attendance and steady belief in God shaped a warrior’s code deeper than medals or orders.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”—it wasn’t a hollow phrase. It was a mandate. Charles carried it into the storm of war like a shield. When the army came calling in 1942, he answered without hesitation, seeking purpose beyond the farm.

Holding the Line at Normandy

June 9, 1944. Day three after D-Day. The 82nd Airborne Division was up against the fierce German hold at the town of La Fière in Normandy, France. DeGlopper served with Company C of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment—warriors dropped silently behind enemy lines, caught in bloody struggle.

Amid the distant roar of tanks and the crack of rifles, Charles found himself separated from his company. The rest were retreating under crushing German fire—a desperate fallback. To cover their withdrawal, Charles did something no man should shoulder alone: he stood his ground.

With only a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and sheer guts, he fired relentlessly into the enemy’s advance, pinning them down. His position was a death trap—exposed and alone—but he held it. Bullets tore through the air and sliced through limbs, yet he kept firing, buying precious seconds for his comrades to escape.

It was not about glory. It was about sacrifice.

The BAR went silent only when a bullet struck Charles in the chest, sending him down in the dirt. Even mortally wounded, he refused to quit. His actions sowed confusion in the enemy lines; they stalled, allowing the rest of the company to live.

A Medal for Valor and a Brother’s Words

Charles N. DeGlopper was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for that singular act of heroism—the highest U.S. decoration for valor. The official citation reads in part:

“His gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and are in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.”[^1]

Brigadier General Maxwell D. Taylor, himself a paratrooper legend, praised DeGlopper’s spirit:

“Corporal DeGlopper’s selfless heroism on the battlefield epitomizes what we expect from our best soldiers: to protect the unit at all costs.”[^2]

Comrades who survived told stories of the man who refused to run, who became the living embodiment of sacrifice under fire. He was the rock in a torrent of bullets.

Blood, Legacy, and Redemption

DeGlopper’s final stand became a rallying cry for the 82nd Airborne and a testament to the cost of freedom. His scars were not physical anymore—they were etched in memory and honor.

His story reminds every veteran and civilian alike: courage is not the absence of fear; it is the choice to stand when all urges flight.

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

Charles N. DeGlopper didn’t just fight for a patch or a paycheck. He fought so others might live, so that liberty could take root in a soil soaked with sweat and blood.

Today, his sacrifice calls us to remember the weight carried by those who stand between chaos and order. It calls us to honor the unnamed, the unsung, and the fallen who bore the burden so we need not.

Sources

[^1]: U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II [^2]: Maxwell D. Taylor, Omaha Beach to Tokyo Bay: The Memoirs of General Maxwell D. Taylor, 1959