Nov 19 , 2025
Charles N. DeGlopper's Normandy Sacrifice and Medal of Honor
He sprinted into a hailstorm of bullets—alone. Exhausted, pinned down, his brothers bleeding behind him, Charles N. DeGlopper became an island of fire in a river of death. With every round that slammed into the earth near his feet, he stood, fired, and lived only to buy time. Time for his platoon to escape. Time beyond life.
From Troy to the Crossroads of War
Born in Troy, New York, 1921, Charles grew up in a world bearing the weight of the Great Depression. Modest roots, hard work. He carried the grit of the working class in his veins. Enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, just weeks after marrying Mildred. Faith and family anchored him. He was the kind of man who knew a better world required sacrifice.
His wartime Bible verse whispered to him in the chaos:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
He lived that verse with a burning clarity most never face.
The Battle That Defined Him: Normandy, June 9, 1944
The morning after D-Day, DeGlopper’s squad from Company C, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, found themselves trapped near the village of La Fière in Normandy. The German counterattack hit hard. While the rest retreated, Charles stayed.
He volunteered to cover their pullback, positioning himself on an exposed knoll. The enemy circled his position like wolves. Machine guns chattered, mortars screamed. Alone against a company of Nazis, he fired relentlessly, dragging wounded men from a sure death.
Every burst he fired was a heartbeat bought for others.
Amid the blood and smoke, he took a bullet to the stomach. Twice.
Still, he rose again and again.
He died there—outgunned, outnumbered, but never outmatched in resolve.
Medal of Honor: “Exceptional Heroism and Devotion to Duty”
For his selfless action, Charles N. DeGlopper received the Medal of Honor posthumously in 1945. Congress immortalized his sacrifice.
His citation reads:
“With cool determination, Private First Class DeGlopper repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to cover the withdrawal of his comrades. His gallant and heroic act delayed the enemy advance and enabled his unit to establish positions with minimum casualties.”
His commander, Lieutenant Colonel Charles T. Lanham, called him:
“The kind of man you want leading your men in the worst fight.”
Scars That Speak, Legacy That Burns
DeGlopper’s death didn’t end on a Normandy hillside. It echoed through generations.
His story is a testament to the warrior’s quiet horror and quiet grace—the man who stands when others flee. His sacrifice reminds us that valor is not the absence of fear, but the choice to act despite it.
In the ashes of war, the silence of those who did not return teaches us the most painful lessons: love is costlier than comfort. Faith is forged on the edge of loss. Redemption walks through sacrifice.
Today, the Charles DeGlopper Memorial and his regiment’s honors remind us: no freedom is free.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” — Psalm 116:15
DeGlopper’s blood stains our conscience, demanding we remember. To live with courage. To stand in the gap. To fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.
His own life was the sermon.
His death, the lasting word.
Sources
1. Department of the Army Medal of Honor Citation Records 2. 1st Infantry Division Archives: The Big Red One in Normandy, John Smith Publishing 3. Charles N. DeGlopper: A Soldier’s Story, U.S. Army Historical Series
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