United States Air force in UK?? Anyone?

[UKBusinessLive]

Boy has this bought back memories, chating with Biker GA in the "Pimp my Ride" thread it turns out he was in the UK with the US air force. That bought back a lot of memories because when i was younger and living in Braintree, I used to go to so many parties at RAF Wethersfield , which was home to The 20th Tactical Fighter Wing- US Air Force.

They even had a nightclub there, and i remembered many weekends waking up in the bowling alley after an all nighter bowling session, boy that was mad!!!

Every weekend i would spend up there with my new found friends and during the week they would come into town and we'd have fun.

In 1978 the British and American Governments agreed to establish a Rapid Emergency Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineering (RED HORSE) unit in England.

The 819th was selected in December of that year and on I st April 1979 an advance party of 40 men arrived. 819th CESHR, along with 7119th Air Base Flight, a supporting unit, and Det. 12166th CS remained at Wethersfield until February 1990 when it was announced by the United States government that, as part of a budget cutting exercise, RAF Wethersfield would be closed.

The base was handed back to the Royal Air Force at an official ceremony held on 3 July 1990 and, at the end of September, Wethersfield was once again placed under care and maintenance status.

Now the base is home to the Ministry of Defence Police, where they do a lot of weapon Training, Up until a few years ago i did a lot of Clay Pigeion Shooting there, and its sad to see the base changed over the years, The Supermarket has disappeared, where we'd get cheap bear and fags, The Night club is now offices and the yanks took the Bowling alley back with them

Fantastic Days and good fun all round, which brings me back to the start of this thread, Is their anyone here who served with the US Air force in the UK in the 70's, 80's and early 90's



Old picture of the bowling alley where many of hangovers were created

It'll be interesting to know :up:

[Biker_GA]

In the 80's, I was in Germany. Base has long since been closed down.

Loved living in Mildenhall (yep, had a place in town). Always purchased a membership to the National Trust and English Heritage each year. Weekends usually found me crawling around an old ruin or two.

[UKBusinessLive]

Originally Posted by Biker_GA

In the 80's, I was in Germany. Base has long since been closed down.

Loved living in Mildenhall (yep, had a place in town). Always purchased a membership to the National Trust and English Heritage each year. Weekends usually found me crawling around an old ruin or two.

Wow, I bet you miss it too!! get your old pic's out and post them here

Have you been back since??

I used to remember so many americian cars in Braintree when i was a teenager, I'd even driven a few back to the base, after the owners where too drunk, A mile from the base we'd change and he'd go through showing his pass. Those where the days

[Biker_GA]

Alas, all the pics went with ex #1. Going back is on my list of priorities, and since I'm retired, I can do so cheaply.

[UKBusinessLive]

Originally Posted by Biker_GA

Alas, all the pics went with ex #1. Going back is on my list of priorities, and since I'm retired, I can do so cheaply.

Damm! What was the years you was here i'll try and get some info.

Ex number 1, You mean theres more

let me know buddy, suffolk is 10 miles from me,

[Biker_GA]

I was there from 1991 to 1994. Retired in 1999.

I still keep in touch with my neighbors. Was crawling distance from my local. Lord I do miss Green King Bitter.

[UKBusinessLive]

Originally Posted by Biker_GA

I was there from 1991 to 1994. Retired in 1999.

I still keep in touch with my neighbors. Was crawling distance from my local. Lord I do miss Green King Bitter.

If you come to the UK, Be sure to look me up and i'll make sure you get all the Green king Bitter you want :up:

Heres a bit of an update of RAF Mildenhall 1998 a few years after you left, but see if you recognise anything
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVq4uJ766EI

[Shamil.]

Anyone been to OC Rheindahlen, or RAF Lyneham, or RAF Cosford or RAF Cottesmore?
It was sad (and heartbreaking) to see the army take over RAF Bruggen, and turn it into Javelin Barracks, and put concrete blocks on the runway to prevent any traffic from using it.

[Biker_GA]

Those are bases that were truly MoD. No American personnel were stationed at any of those installations as far as I know after WWII.

[Shamil.]

Well OC Rheindahlen does have some American personnel currently, I'm not too sure about Javelin Barracks. RAF C+C+L are as you said, UK forces.