Nov 14 , 2025
Charles N. DeGlopper's stand at La Fière that saved lives
Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone, a single figure against a storm of fire. His rifle cracked non-stop, bullets whipping past him like death’s own wind. Every pull of his trigger was a prayer for the men falling back behind him. His world condensed to a hellish moment — stand or die — and he chose to stand.
That choice cost him his life. But it gave his brothers a second chance.
The Upbringing of a Warrior
Charles Neil DeGlopper grew up in the quiet fields of New York, a boy shaped by the steady rhythm of rural America and the sturdy values his family instilled. Discipline, duty, faith — these were the pillars holding him up before war tore through his world.
He was a farm kid, the kind who learned to rise before dawn and work until the last light faded.
His faith was quiet but unshakable. Raised in a household that anchored itself in God’s word, DeGlopper lived by a personal code — protect the weak, honor your word, never abandon your men. No braggart, no glory-seeker. His heart beat steady beneath the uniform of the 82nd Airborne Division.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13
The Battle That Defined Him
June 9, 1944. The day came desperate and hot. The Normandy hedgerows were soaked in blood. The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment had landed hours earlier, bruised but determined. The farmlands near La Fière awaited them — a choke point fiercely held by German guns.
The 3rd Battalion was ordered to retreat amid a hurricane of fire. Coming under brutal enemy machine gun and rifle fire, the men began to pull back.
Then DeGlopper did the unthinkable.
Standing erect in the open field, he drew the enemy’s attention with controlled, deliberate fire. His rifle barked from the field’s edge while bullet holes riddled his uniform. His comrades disappeared behind tree lines, safety inches away, because of his sacrifice.
He bought time.
Each shot was a heartbeat of defiance. The last one he fired was the final act of a man who chose his brothers over himself. His body hit the ground under the enemy’s fire, but his spirit had held the line.
Major General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne, called it: "a supreme act of valor."
Recognition in Blood and Honor
Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, DeGlopper’s citation tells the brutal truth, stripped of any flinching detail:
“He alone remained to cover the withdrawal of the platoon. Firing from an open field while the enemy concentrated fire on him, he maintained his lone stand until he was mortally wounded.”
The Medal of Honor wasn’t just a medal.
It was a story burned into the bones of a nation — of a man who stood when every fiber screamed retreat, who embraced death so his brothers could live.
Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, a fellow paratrooper who earned his own share of battle scars, called DeGlopper’s sacrifice "the kind of courage that changes the course of a fight and saves lives."
Legacy Written in Sacrifice and Faith
DeGlopper’s name lives on in the soil of Normandy and in the hearts of those who understand what it means to give everything.
His story is not just about a bullet-riddled field or a lost life. It’s about purpose. A warrior answering the call, not for glory, but for his squad.
In sacrifice, there’s redemption.
Every veteran who has stood in impossible odds knows it: courage is born from deep love, and true valor demands cost. Not every war story ends in victory, but every sacrifice echoes in eternity.
His legacy compels us to remember:
The battle is never just about winning; it’s about standing when the night is darkest.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
That day at La Fière, Charles N. DeGlopper was fearlessly strong.
He carried his faith, his squad, and his nation in the final moments of his life. That is the blood-stained truth of a warrior’s legacy.
Sources
1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Richard Killblane, No Mission Too Difficult: The History of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War II 3. Matthew B. Ridgway, Soldier: The Memoirs of Matthew B. Ridgway 4. Official Medal of Honor citation, Charles N. DeGlopper
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