Carganico, the son of a Luftwaffe officer, was born on 27 September 1917 in Breslau in the Kingdom of Prussia of the German Empire, present-day Wrocław in western Poland. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1937 and attended pilot school at Berlin-Johannisthal. At the outbreak of World War II Carganico was Technical Officer with the staff of "Jagdgeschwader" 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing). In April 1940, he served with II. "Gruppe" (2nd group) of "Jagdgeschwader" 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). During Operation Weserübung (9 April – 10 June 1940), the German assault on Denmark and Norway, Carganico served as adjutant to "Hauptmann" Karl Hentschel, the commanding officer of II. "Gruppe".