The Munda airfield on the island of New Georgia was fought over by more Pensacolians that most people knew. Another hometown boy was Cpl. Gregory Nelson Caro who was born on May 19, 1922, the son of Herbert Pinckney Caro and Helen K. Gunther. His father supported his rather large family as a Deputy Collector with the Internal Revenue Service. Gregory enlisted in the US Marines on August 27, 1942 and was trained as a radio/gunner on an SBD dive bomber.
Prior to his arrival, his squadron (VMSB-132) was sent to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal where they became a part of the “Cactus Air Force.” Gregory joined the squadron on February 5, 1943 and served three tours with a record of 37 missions. Day and night they sought out and attacked any Japanese shipping and installations they could locate. In support of the Marine landing, he and his crew strafed and bombed the Munda airfield on July 20, 25, and 31, 1943, against stiff enemy antiaircraft and aerial resistance.
After months on Guadalcanal he returned to the US in December 1943, having taken part in five major engagements. His first stop was his parent’s home in Pensacola before reporting to his new duty station at the Marine El Toro air station in Santa Anna, California. The squadron had been reorganized as VMSB- 234 in early summer of 1944, where Gregory joined it for further training.
On July 19, 1944 he and his pilot were participating in a training exercise about ten miles off the coast of Santa Anna. Something went wrong and the dive bomber spiraled into the Pacific Ocean. There were no survivors and there was no indication that either of the two bodies were ever recovered. Today, there is only a memorial grave stone in the St. Johns Cemetery, placed there by his parents. Sadly, two weeks before his death he received the Air Medal on July 4th for bravery and dedication to duty during combat in the Solomons.
Following in his brother's footsteps was Frank Gunther Caro, Pensacola High Class of 1938. Frank was a member of the famed “Rankin’s Night Raiders”, which is a “Black Cat” squadron of Catalina flying boats that struck terror into the Japanese during 1944, Ironically, Frank flew over the same targets as did his brother Gregory.
