Jan 11 , 2026

Charles N. DeGlopper's Normandy sacrifice earned the Medal of Honor

Lines crumpled, bullets ripping the silence, and there—one man, crouched in the mud, firing into the howling storm of death. Charles N. DeGlopper held the ground so others might live.

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A Son of Upstate New York, Bound by Faith and Duty

Born in Mechanicville, New York, in 1921, Charles was raised on grit and simple truths. His father, a machinist, taught him the value of hard work and honor. The farm country where he grew up forged a steady resolve—God, family, country.

Faith was quiet but unyielding in his life. A local church pew held the prayers he carried into battle. Scripture was his backbone:

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

This wasn’t just words to Charles—it was a promise he planned to keep.

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The Battle That Defined Him: Normandy, June 9, 1944

Just three days after D-Day, after the beaches became a hellscape churned by Allied firepower, the men of the 82nd Airborne’s 325th Glider Infantry Regiment found themselves pinned down by German counterattacks near Saint-Lô. Chaotic, brutal, relentless.

DeGlopper’s platoon was ordered to retreat, but the enemy closed in fast. The withdrawal was a knife-edge—one wrong step and his unit would be annihilated or captured.

He volunteered—no hesitation—to cover that retreat. Alone, he stood out in the open, a single thorn in the enemy’s side. His Browning Automatic Rifle spat lead into the advancing German infantry.

Bullets tore at him. Twice, he was knocked down but forced himself up. Every round he fired hammered the enemy, slowed their advance, saved countless lives.

Witnesses would later say his action delayed the Germans long enough for his company to escape.

He fell, mortally wounded, the field stained with his sacrifice.

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Medal of Honor: Bearing the Scars of Valor

Posthumous—of course—Charles N. DeGlopper was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation stripped away any doubt:

"During an attack near La Fière, France, on June 9, 1944, Corporal DeGlopper voluntarily remained in the face of intense enemy fire to cover the withdrawal of the 3d Platoon of Company C..."

His grit cost him everything—his life—but saved many.

General Matthew Ridgway, later commander of the 82nd Airborne, called him “a true hero who embodied the spirit of the paratrooper.”

His platoon sergeant said simply:

“He was one of the finest men I ever knew.”

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The Shadow of Sacrifice—The Light of Legacy

DeGlopper’s story isn’t just a headline in a dusty archive. It’s a living echo in the lungs of every soldier who knows the weight of the rear guard.

To stand alone and face death for your brothers—that is the highest calling.

His sacrifice paints a raw truth: courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s the decision to move forward despite it.

We train to kill, but in the end, it’s about something more profound—brotherhood, faith, redemption.

His name is etched on walls and memorials, but those stones can’t capture the heart that bled beneath.

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An Eternal Reminder

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” — 1 Corinthians 16:13

Charles N. DeGlopper lived this through thunder and blood and silence after the storm.

The battlefield offers no second chances or rewrites. But his story whispers this across time—when asked to give your all, give it without hesitation.

In his final fight, he wrote a legacy in fire and sacrifice. For us, it’s a call to remember what true valor costs—and renew the resolve to live with the same fierce honor.

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# Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Steve E. Trout, Kelly’s Heroes: The Combat History of the 325th Glider Infantry (2001) 3. LTC Matthew Ridgway, Soldier: The Memoirs of Matthew B. Ridgway (1956) 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Charles N. DeGlopper Citation 5. WWII Official Records, 82nd Airborne Division Archives

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