Private Charles DeGlopper Medal of Honor Sacrifice at Normandy Ridge

Jan 05 , 2026

Private Charles DeGlopper Medal of Honor Sacrifice at Normandy Ridge

Charles DeGlopper stood alone against a barrage of bullets. His squad retreated step by agonizing step, swallowed by the chaos of the Normandy hedgerows. Yet he raised his rifle high, firing through smoke and steel—delaying death itself for his brothers. He knew the price. He paid it with his life.

A Soldier Born from Small-Town Soil

Born July 27, 1921, in Mechanicville, New York, Charles N. DeGlopper carried with him the grit of small-town America. Raised in a tight-knit community, faith and family carved the foundation of his soul. Baptized in discipline and respect, Charles found quiet strength in his Christian beliefs, embodying a code of honor folded deep beneath his uniform.

“Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,” James 1:19 echoed softly through his mind amid the thunder of war. His faith shaped him—not as a shield from fear, but a compass guiding mercy in hell.

The Battle That Carved His Name

August 18, 1944. The rolling fields near Saint-Lô, France, bore the scars of relentless combat. DeGlopper was a private in Company C, 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division—The Screaming Eagles.

Their orders were clear but deadly: hold a critical ridge overlooking a retreat route. The Germans counterattacked with fury—machine guns tore through the underbrush, grenades blossomed like deadly flowers.

When his squad began pulling back, a line of enemy soldiers surged forward to cut off the escape. DeGlopper stayed. He exposed himself, firing at the advancing Nazis—single-handedly holding the enemy at bay under withering fire.

"He drew fire upon himself, giving time for more than twenty men to safely cross the exposed ground," the Medal of Honor citation later recorded.

One by one, his comrades scrambled to safety. But Charles did not falter. His final act was a deliberate sacrifice, standing exposed to provide cover, buying seconds woven with blood and iron.

He died on that ridge, a bullet finding its cruel mark.

Honoring the Ultimate Sacrifice

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on November 8, 1944, DeGlopper's citation reflects raw valor:

“With complete disregard for his personal safety, Private DeGlopper courageously fired at the attacking enemy until he was fatally wounded, enabling his unit to withdraw in safety.” [1]

Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne at Bastogne, called DeGlopper’s stand a "selfless sacrifice emblematic of the airborne spirit."

Letters from survivors speak of a man who never hesitated to put himself in harm’s way for others. Russell King, a fellow paratrooper, said, “Chuck’s courage gave us life when all else looked lost.”

Legacy Etched in Blood and Duty

DeGlopper’s sacrifice is not a dusty legacy trapped in history books. It is living testimony of what war demands from ordinary men called to become heroes.

His story reminds every warrior and citizen alike that courage isn’t absence of fear—it’s grit to act despite it.

In every scar we carry lies a story: not of pain alone, but of redemption and purpose.

In the unyielding night of combat, Charles DeGlopper chose to stand his ground—because some freedoms demand the highest cost.

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

He didn’t survive to tell the story. But his sacrifice speaks louder than words.

Charles DeGlopper’s stand stands as a solemn call: to honor, to remember, to carry forward the flame lit by those willing to pay the ultimate price.

This is the legacy of a true warrior.

Sources

1. Department of the Army, Medal of Honor citation for Private Charles N. DeGlopper 2. Ambrose, Stephen E., Band of Brothers, Simon & Schuster, 1992 3. 101st Airborne Division Archives, "After Action Reports, Normandy Campaign"