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NAME Irwin Wells Carter |
NICKNAME — |
SERVICE NUMBER O-7542 |
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| UNIT VMF-121 Pilot |
HOME OF RECORD 4308 Juanita Way South, St. Petersburg, FL |
NEXT OF KIN Father, Mr. Toppy L. Carter Sr. |
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| DATE OF BIRTH February 24, 1921 |
ENTERED SERVICE April 17, 1941 |
DATE OF LOSS January 4, 1943 |
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| REGION Solomon Islands |
CAMPAIGN / AREA Out of Guadalcanal |
CASUALTY TYPE Missing In Action Declared Dead January 5, 1944 |
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| CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS Captain Irwin W. Cater was a Marine fighter pilot serving with the Cactus Air Force. He arrived on Guadalcanal as a member of VMF-122 on 22 December 1942, and transferred to VMF-121 on 1 January 1943. On 4 January 1943, Carter was assigned to fly cover over friendly ships in the Solomon Islands. At dusk, his four-plane flight began the hundred mile journey back to Guadalcanal. A severe tropical storm scattered the pilots; two returned late and low on gas, and one was forced down but rescued several days later. Captain Carter and F4F-4 Bureau Number 3450 were never seen again. The pilot was declared dead on 5 January 1944. |
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| INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart |
LAST KNOWN RANK First Lieutenant posthumous Captain |
STATUS OF REMAINS Missing in action |
MEMORIALS Manila American Cemetery |
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