Private Charles DeGlopper's Sacrifice on Normandy's Ridge

Nov 24 , 2025

Private Charles DeGlopper's Sacrifice on Normandy's Ridge

Rain soaked the ridge. Bullets ripped the air like angry bees. Somewhere down the line, men were screaming, retreating—falling back under the hammer of German fire. But there, alone on that exposed hill, Private Charles N. DeGlopper made a stand. His Thompson carbine kept barking, pulling lethal fire toward himself, buying seconds—no—precious moments—for his brothers to live. The cost was ultimate, and DeGlopper paid it in full: life lost, but humanity saved.

The Soldier They Called Charlie

Charles Neil DeGlopper was born in the quiet hills of New York, a son of modest means but towering character. Raised in a tight-knit community where honor was breathed as deeply as the cold air, he held faith close to his heart—an anchor amidst chaos. A Baptist by upbringing, Charlie’s sense of duty was inseparable from his belief in something greater. This wasn’t some hollow patriotism; it was a personal code of sacrifice and unwavering service.

His letters home never spoke of glory. Only responsibility. “We do what’s right, because that’s what we owe one another,” he wrote to his mother. In him, the grit of a farmer and the soul of a soldier fused—a man forged for war yet moved by covenant more than conquest.

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

Three days after D-Day, DeGlopper's 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, found itself pinned down near the French town of La Fière. The crossroads, a crucial junction, had to be held at all costs. The enemy tightened the noose, throwing grenades and machine-gun fire like death itself would choke the earth.

The company retreated under overwhelming pressure. But Charlie stayed.

Climbing atop an open hilltop with only his carbine, he fired relentlessly into the hailstorm—hitting the enemy’s flank and turning their eyes toward himself. Every pull of that trigger was a declaration: “Not this ground. Not this day.” His fire slowed the German advance, disrupted their formations, and covered the withdrawal of his comrades.

The price was steep. Wounded multiple times, DeGlopper fell to the ground, bleeding out but still clutching the weapon that had protected his unit. His stand shattered the enemy’s momentum, sparking what the after-action report called a “crucial delay” that saved countless lives and held the Allied line.

Medal of Honor: Courage Beyond Measure

On December 19, 1944, Charles N. DeGlopper received the Medal of Honor posthumously—the highest commendation for valor in American arms. The citation etched into history did not mince words:

"Private First Class DeGlopper distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty ... exposing himself to deadly heavy fire, he single-handedly covered his unit's withdrawal until he was fatally wounded."

General Matthew Ridgway called the action “one of the most gallant in the annals of the American infantry.” Fellow soldiers remembered him as a steadfast rock amid chaos.

His mother kept the medal safe, silent about the blood it represented, but proud of the sacrifice that saved brothers in arms.

Legacy—More Than a Medal

Charlie’s story is etched not just on brass and parchment, but in the marrow of what it means to be a combat veteran—to stand when everyone else runs. His sacrifice transcends the moment. It speaks to the brutal choice between self-preservation and self-sacrifice.

“Greater love hath no man than this,” John 15:13 echoes through DeGlopper’s legacy. A crude hill in Normandy may have swallowed his body, but his spirit still stands as a bulwark against despair and isolation in the veteran’s journey.

In every combat veteran who covers fire for a buddy, remembers fallen friends, and bears scars both seen and unseen, Charles DeGlopper’s name is gospel. A whisper that says, your sacrifice is not forgotten, your courage matters.

Charlie died a warrior’s death, but gave life through his last breath.

If warriors like DeGlopper teach us anything, it’s this: redemption is forged in fire. Courage is a choice—and love, the fiercest weapon of all.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Valor in Combat: The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II, by John C. McManus 3. General Matthew Ridgway, Official After-Action Reports, June 1944 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Citation Archive