Nov 03 , 2025
DeGlopper’s Heroic Stand at Merderet Bridge, Normandy 1944
Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone on a sliver of bridge over the Merderet River, soaked in mud and blood, facing a storm of enemy fire. His comrades were falling back, chaos bleeding into defeat. No orders told him to stay—they were dying by the second. But DeGlopper stayed. He became a one-man shield against death, a guardian of the fallen.
The Battle That Defined Him
June 9, 1944. The fury days after D-Day. The 82nd Airborne Division, battered and fractured, fought to hold ground in Normandy’s hellscape. DeGlopper, a corporal in Company C, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, found himself at a critical bottleneck—a narrow causeway bridge over the Merderet.
Enemy machine guns raked the crossing, halting the retreat of his platoon. The alternative? Death or capture.
With no hesitation, DeGlopper stood where bullets whizzed like death-dealing bees, firing rifle rounds, throwing grenades to keep the Germans pinned. Time after bloody, desperate time, he exposed himself, buying his men the precious seconds to cross the unforgiving line.
His final act sealed his fate: he rose after being hit, firing once more before collapsing dead.
Sacrifice carved into the mud—a life given so others might live.
A Soldier’s Code, Born of Small-Town Roots
Charles Neil DeGlopper was born in 1921 in Malone, New York—a town where the church bell rang clear and the word of God carried weight. Raised on hard work and faith, DeGlopper carried a quiet strength, a belief that life was bigger than self.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” —John 15:13
His faith wasn’t spoken much but lived fully. It was in the way he looked at his brothers-in-arms, in his refusal to leave a soldier behind, in his ironclad will to protect even at the ultimate cost.
Blood and Bravery on the Merderet
The battle that claimed DeGlopper is etched in the annals of valor. As the Germans clawed to reclaim positions, the 82nd’s paratroopers found themselves cornered. Company C’s retreat stalled at the river crossing.
Corporal DeGlopper took an act that few can even imagine—he volunteered to cover the withdrawal.
Armed with just his M1 Garand and grenades, he waded through waist-deep water, climbed onto the narrow causeway, and faced an enemy onslaught. Time and again, he exposed himself to draw gunfire and keep the enemy’s heads down.
One witness recounted, “We could see him firing his rifle and tossing grenades... He kept them at bay."
His suppression shattered the enemy’s momentum. Without those crucial moments, the company would have been annihilated.
DeGlopper’s actions went beyond courage. They were the embodiment of duty.
Recognition Etched in History
For this fearless stand, Charles N. DeGlopper was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
His citation reads in part:
"With utter disregard for his own safety, he remained in full view of the enemy, exposing himself to heavy fire. His gallant actions enabled the withdrawal of his platoon and contributed materially to the success of the mission."
Major General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the 82nd Airborne, praised the sacrifice:
“DeGlopper’s heroic defense on the Merderet will forever be a legend in the airborne’s storied history.”
The Legacy Carved by Blood and Sacrifice
DeGlopper’s name marks a bridge in Normandy and echoes in the hearts of every soldier who ever faced impossible odds.
This is more than a story of war—it is a testament to the unbreakable bond forged between soldiers.
He reminds us: courage is not the absence of fear, but the choice to stand when the world screams to run.
To give your life for your fellow man is the purest form of leadership—a mark touched by grace.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...”
DeGlopper’s sacrifice resonates with that profound giving of life for others—a reminder that within war’s darkness, there shines a light of redemption and hope.
We owe more than remembrance. We owe resolve. To carry forward that fierce love amid trials, scars, and battles yet to come.
Charles N. DeGlopper died in Normandy on that June day. But his spirit stands tall—eternal, unyielding, and redeemed.
Sources
1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Ambrose, Stephen E., Citizen Soldiers (Simon & Schuster, 1997) 3. 82nd Airborne Division Archives, DeGlopper and the Merderet Bridge (Official After Action Report, 1944) 4. Ridgway, Matthew B., Soldier: The Memoirs of Matthew B. Ridgway (Harper & Brothers, 1956)
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