Skip to main content
Edit entry 

No 3 Combat Crew Replacement Center

Unit

Established as 2902nd Combat Crew Replacement Center Group on 23 August 1943 at Toome. Opened on 20 September 1943 to provide theatre indoctrination to B-26 Marauder crews.

On 21 November 1943 the unit was redesignated No 3 Combat Crew Replacement Center and had 32 B-26 Marauders, 4 A-20 Havocs on it's strength. More than 50 crews in training, and despite the transferal of B-26 Marauder units to the 9th Air Force, the 8th Air Force continued to handle combat crew replacement training.

Assigned to VIII Composite Command on 14 February 1944

Assigned to Air Disarmament Command 16 September 1944, and the aircraft flown to Base Air Depots for disposal

Structure

Part of
  • Air Disarmament Command

    Air Disarmament Command

    Command
    In 1944, the Allies began to consider how to conduct the demobilization of Germany, and began to plan how they both could dismantle Germany's war making capabilities and exploit its technology after victory. As the Allies advanced into France in late...

  • VIII Air Force Composite Command

    VIII Air Force Composite Command

    Command

Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Stations

Station Location Date
Based Toome August 1943 – 16 September 1944
Established Toome 23 August 1943

Connections

People

  • Pierce Buckner

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner
    S/Sgt Pierce Buckner was Tail Gunner in B26 #41-17961 on a local training flight 27 December 1943, when, due to mechanical failure, it crash-landed at RAF Toome, in Northern Ireland. The five crewmen returned safely but the aircraft was totally destroyed.

  • Clyde Custer

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bomber pilot
    Assigned to 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) short navigational flight out of Toome, Nth Ireland in B-26B 41-18072 when it crashed in an Antrim hills peat bog, tail first. Killed non Operational (KNO). Awards: PH.

  • Gerret DeBruin

    Military

  • Anthony Destefano

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier / Navigator
    Assigned to 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) short navigational flight out of Toome, Nth Ireland in B-26B 41-18072 when it crashed in an Antrim hills peat bog, tail first. Killed non Operational (KNO). Awards: PH.

  • Hans Erickson

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer
    Assigned to 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) short navigational flight out of Toome, Nth Ireland in B-26B 41-18072 when it crashed in an Antrim hills peat bog, tail first. Killed non Operational (KNO). Awards: PH.

  • Vincent Filippone

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator
    Assigned to 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) short navigational flight out of Toome, Nth Ireland in B-26B 41-18072 when it crashed in an Antrim hills peat bog, tail first. Killed non Operational (KNO). Awards: PH.

  • Robert Fry

    Military | Captain | Instructor (Pilot) | 322nd Bomb Group
    Robert Fry was a student of McMurray College, Abilene, TX before enlisting in January 1942. He won his wings and commission as a 2nd Lt in the USAAF at Roswell, New Mexico on 28 July 1942. He was later stationed at McDill Field in Tampa, Florida before...

  • Vernon Hedges

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot / Pilot
    Lt Vernon Hedges was Co-pilot of B26 #41-17961 on a local training flight 27 December 1943, when, due to mechanical failure, it crash-landed at RAF Toome, in Northern Ireland. The five crewmen returned safely but the aircraft was totally destroyed. On...

  • Robert Kist

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot
    Assigned to 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) short navigational flight out of Toome, Nth Ireland in B-26B 41-18072 when it crashed in an Antrim hills peat bog, tail first. Killed non Operational (KNO). Awards: PH.

  • John Latiloais

    Military | Sergeant | Engineer
    Sgt John Latiloais was engineer on board of B26 #41-17961 on a local training flight 27 December 1943, when, due to mechanical failure, it crash-landed at RAF Toome, in Northern Ireland. The five crewmen returned safely but the aircraft was totally...

Show more

Aircraft

  • 41-18072

    B-26 Marauder
    Assigned to 450BS, 322BG, 9AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center. Lost on short navigational flight out of Toome, Nth Ireland, when it crashed in an Antrim hills peat bog, tail first. 6 x Killed non Operational (KNO). 4-Jul-44.

Citations

None

Air Force
8th
Type
Service or support
Type category
Other
Nicknames

2902nd Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Aug-Nov 1943)

Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known
Aircraft used
  • A-20 Havoc
  • B-26 Marauder

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
02 December 2019 15:19:31 Emily Changes to type, category, name, nicknames, description, air forces, aircraft types, unit part of associations, unit encompassing associations and stations
Sources

Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual, pp 121-124
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:43 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Share