Dec 03 , 2025

Charles N. DeGlopper's Last Stand in Normandy, Medal of Honor

Blood. Fear. The crack of rifle fire tearing the dawn.

Corporal Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone. His squad had fallen back, swept down by the enemy's relentless surge. Without hesitation, he rose, flinging himself into the choke point. His rifle barked a desperate warning and his sacrifice held hell at bay, buying time for his brothers-in-arms.

He died that day, September 18, 1944, on the blood-soaked fields near Saint-Lô, France. But his courage forged a legacy no bullet could end.

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The Roots of a Warrior

Charles N. DeGlopper came from the soil of New York—Marlboro to be exact—a small-town kid forged in hard work and Christian faith. Raised in a devout household, his character was shaped by scripture and the ironclad bonds of family.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

This verse wasn’t just words; it was a calling that twisted itself around his life. A farmer’s son, steady hands and steadfast heart, DeGlopper understood sacrifice was necessary for peace.

Before the Army called him, he was no stranger to discipline or duty. The virtues of humility, loyalty, and courage were etched deep.

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The Battle That Defined Him

In the late summer of 1944, the Allies had broken out of Normandy’s fatally bloody hedgerows. The race was on to collapse the German front and liberate France. The 82nd Airborne Division, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, E Company, was at the spear’s tip near the Marigny-Saint-Germain area, pushing into the hedgerows outside Saint-Lô.

DeGlopper’s platoon was withdrawing under withering fire from a German counterattack. The enemy’s machine guns and rifle fire were hot and lethal, pinning down his comrades. Rather than retreat with them, DeGlopper stood his ground on an exposed ridge—a killing ground if there ever was one.

He grabbed a .30 caliber automatic rifle, half crawling and half running until he reached the open field. There, he poured bullets into the advancing Germans, forcing them to hesitate.

His actions stopped the enemy’s momentum, buying critical minutes. Despite having no cover, he kept firing until he was mortally wounded. His last stand allowed his platoon to reorganize and escape almost certain destruction.

This was no reckless charge. It was a calculated, selfless sacrifice to save brothers-in-arms.

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A Medal Etched in Blood

Posthumous Medal of Honor awarded on June 18, 1945. His citation tells the grim story of grit and valor—words that pale beside witnesses’ recollections.

“Corporal DeGlopper’s heroic stand against overwhelming numbers and firepower saved his company from encirclement and possible annihilation. His courage exemplifies the highest ideals of military service and devotion to country.”

His battalion commander’s words echoed that truth decades later:

“He gave his life so the rest could live. True courage. Unwavering. That’s what men like DeGlopper are made of.”

He was buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, far from the Marlboro fields where he grew up.

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The Legacy of Sacrifice

Charles DeGlopper’s story is a brutal reminder of what true sacrifice costs. The battlefield offers no guarantees, only choices—fight or fail, hold ground or lose your brothers.

Heroes are not born from glory; they rise amid the rubble of fear and duty.

Veterans carry those scars—visible or not—the weight of lives saved and lost. DeGlopper’s stand wasn’t about medals; it was about keeping faith with the men who fought beside him.

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

We remember DeGlopper not to sanitize war but to honor the raw, bloody cost of freedom. His courage whispers to all warriors, past and present: stand firm, even when the world falls away.

For civilians, his life offers a hard truth—we owe more than gratitude. We owe remembrance, understanding, and the commitment to live lives worthy of sacrifice.

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Charles N. DeGlopper died in battle, but his legacy endures—an unyielding testament that courage can bloom from the darkest soil. And in that bloom, we find purpose beyond the bloodshed.

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Sources

1. Department of Defense, Medal of Honor Citation for Corporal Charles N. DeGlopper 2. 82nd Airborne Division Archives, After-Action Reports, Normandy Campaign 3. United States Army Center of Military History, “The Battle for Saint-Lô,” 1944 4. Netherlands American Cemetery, Burial Records 5. Boulware, Jack.H. All-Americans in Battle: The 82nd Airborne in World War II, Presidio Press, 1993

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