Medal of Honor recipient Charles DeGlopper's Sacrifice on Hill 192

Jan 16 , 2026

Medal of Honor recipient Charles DeGlopper's Sacrifice on Hill 192

Charles N. DeGlopper stood alone against a rain of bullets and grenades. The deafening roar of artillery cracked the air as his voice cut through the chaos. He shouted for his men to retreat—go now—but he stayed, his rifle blazing. Each squeeze of the trigger was a shield for his comrades. The world blurred, but his mission burned fiercely: hold the line, no matter the cost.

Background & Faith

Born October 27, 1921, in Mechanicville, New York, Charles grew up on blue-collar grit and quiet resolve. His roots were humble—father a mill worker, mother a homemaker—values woven tightly into his character: loyalty, duty, and an unwavering faith in God.

His personal journal, though lost in the war’s wreckage, reportedly spoke often of Psalm 23: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” That scripture was no hollow phrase; it was armor. It forged in him a code that no bullet could break. Faith wasn’t just comfort—it was purpose.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 9, 1944. The Allies had stormed Normandy’s beaches days earlier, but liberation came with brutal cost. DeGlopper, a Private First Class in the 16th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division, found himself on the brutal slopes of Hill 192 near Colleville-sur-Mer.

The company was ordered to withdraw under searing fire. Enemy machine guns cut down anyone exposed. Retreat without cover meant slaughter.

DeGlopper’s choice was clear.

He volunteered—or was tasked, by fate or honor—to cover the retreat. Equipped with only a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and grenades, he moved forward alone. He fired relentlessly. Every burst, every grenade thrown bought precious seconds. His own comrades scrambled down the hill to safety.

Minutes turned to agonizing eternity.

German forces surged to overrun the position. DeGlopper's ammunition dwindled; his rifle smoked. Still, he pressed on, refusing to fall back. The last grenade he tossed but failed to find its mark.

He was hit and mortally wounded.

His sacrifice saved the lives of many men in Company C, allowing the unit to regroup and fight another day.

Recognition

Charles N. DeGlopper was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

“He distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism and gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy...” “His indomitable courage and unselfish devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.”

General Courtney Hodges praised DeGlopper’s unwavering resolve under fire, calling his actions “an outstanding example of selfless valor.” Fellow soldiers remembered him as a steady rock amid the storm—the man who fought until his last breath so the rest might live.

Legacy & Lessons

DeGlopper’s name is etched into the annals of valor—not just for gallantry, but for the raw human cost of leadership under fire. He bore witness to the darkest hours and chose sacrifice over survival.

In the quiet moments when war stories fade into history books, his example remains vivid: courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it. Sacrifice does not demand glory—it demands heart.

Today, a bridge in Troy, New York, and a small Midwestern community in Georgia stand in his honor. Each year, veterans gather to read his citation aloud, reminding new generations of the price paid for freedom.

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

Charles DeGlopper’s blood wrote this truth onto the pages of time. He lived it. He died by it.

In any war, the silent moments between the gunfire—faith holding, courage rising—are where men like DeGlopper become immortal. Not because death crowned them heroes, but because sacrifice made them guardians of every future without war.

May his story stir in us the resolve to live worth the lives given. To carry their legacy, not as a burden, but as a sacred trust.