USMC Corporal Gregory Nelson Caro was born in Pensacola, Florida on May 19, 1922, the son of Herbert Pinckney Caro (1886-1956) and Helen Kathryn Gunther (1885-1971). His father supported his rather large family as a Deputy Collector with the Internal Revenue Service as well as a dairyman, a real estate broker, a Mason, and a Florida State Senator. The Caro family in general had deep roots in the Pensacola historical community and arrived in 1813 via Spain, Cuba, New Orleans, Mobile and finally Pensacola. They were a well-educated group with most of Gregory's siblings having graduated from Pensacola High School. His father Herbert graduated in 1906 followed by his children; Herbert Jr. 1928, Emma Lucille 1931, Ruby Jeanette 1932, Elizabeth Ann 1934, Clara Louise 1937, Frank Gunther 1938, and Nell 1944.
However, Gregory did not finish his studies and chose to leave school early and marry 16-year-old Hallie Jo Johnson (1923-1997) on August 3, 1939 in Pensacola. One child was born to this union, Gregory Nelson Jr. (1941-1993). To support his young family Gregory went to work for the Hardaway Construction Company that was performing government work at NAS Pensacola. However in 1942, Gregory and Hallie decided to split up followed by her marriage to Charles Anthony Bennett the same year.
Gregory would enlist 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 their 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 gravestone 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 his combat service in the Solomons. Also, three weeks after his death, the News Journal published his promotion to corporal on August 6, 1944.
His older brother also attained notoriety due to his military exploits in the Navy during WWII. Frank Gunther Caro had become a member of the famed “Rankin’s Night Raiders”, 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.
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