They Too Served

In-theater Combat Crew Replacement Centers (CCRCs) represented a brief but important stop for replacement aircrews training to replace losses in the European theater during World War II. The Eighth Air Force's 496th Fighter Training Group operated a fighter CCRC at Goxhill, England and illustrated the unique challenges and successes of the CCRC mission. The 496th Fighter Training Group overcame maintenance shortfalls, aircraft shortages and persistent morale issues to train over 2,400 fighter pilots for combat duty in the Lockheed P-38 Lightning and North American P-51 Mustang.