A NEW book about the former US military bases around London had its launch at the Compass Theatre in Ickenham.

The book, Home Bases – Memories & Stories of US Military Bases Around London, includes close-up looks at the former bases in South Ruislip, Eastcote and within RAF Uxbridge and RAF Northolt and even, for a while, at Denham Film Studios.

The book, which also include interviews with 40 people stationed on the bases, largely covers the World War Two and Cold War years.

While some of the USAF bases, such as those at Denham Studios and South Ruislip, closed in the 1960s and 1970s, other bases, including those run in latter years by the US Navy at Eastcote (off Lime Grove) and at RAF West Ruislip, were shut down in 2006/2007.

The sites were handed back to the Ministry of Defence and sold on - largely for housing.

"This book is a fond look back at some unique places that may have been smaller command and support bases largely during WWII and the Cold War but were, on occasion, places where history was made,” says author Sean Kelly of the 444-page book.

“In essence they were 'little Americas’ with bowling alleys, American food and ‘Yank Tank’ automobiles.

" I continue to be surprised by the number of people locally who not only remember the bases and also had family or friends who knew some of the ‘Yanks’ stationed at them.

"There have been some life-long friendships developed and I believe that some of these former bases and the people who served on them were at the very heart of the angle-American ‘special relationship’."

Among people Kelly interviewed for the book was one of the first to be stationed at West Ruislip when it opened.

He also interviewed the late Larry Hagman (JR Ewing in Dallas) who had been stationed at USAF South Ruislip, the headquarters base on Victoria Road.

Hagman, who spent four years there, gave an interview about his life and times on the base and in London. It was during that period that he met his wife.

The book launch was attended by Cllr. George Cooper, Deputy Mayor of Hillingdon.

Cllr. George Cooper was permitted to bring a special US Navy Badge from the chain of the Mayor of the Borough.

It is believed to be the first time the badge – presented by the US Navy to the borough in 2007, had been separated from the mayor’s chain of office.

Sir John Randall, MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, introduced the book with a few of his own reflections on the US presence in the borough.

Launch guests were treated to the sight of a number of US military vehicles on display in the Compass Theatre car park, including two WWII Jeeps and a truck.

One of the jeeps was brought along by members of the 1940s Experience at Lincolnsfields Centre in Bushey near Watford.

There was even a stunning hydraulic Cadillac on hand from the London Motor Museum in Hayes.

Before moving to its present location, the London Motor Museum was temporarily located on the former West Ruislip base site after the US military departed.

Copies of the book are available either by e-mailing via www.ushomebases.com or by visiting Madcap Books in Ruislip.