RAF Mildenhall: Why a market town in Suffolk is known as Little America
RAF Mildenhall has supported American troops since 1950, and is currently home to the 100th Air Refuelling Wing. ITV News Anglia's VICTORIA LAMPARD visited the quiet market town better known as Little America.
When Anamaria Elliot greets her next customer inside the Daily Grind cafe, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped on to the streets in Manhattan, rather than rural Suffolk.
Her New York accent is one of the first we hear as we are invited on to RAF Mildenhall to see what life is like for those stationed here.
The 33-year-old arrived in the county from the States over a year ago, when her husband was posted to RAF Lakenheath.
With RAF Mildenhall being close by, she decided to get a job there and enjoys offering a warm welcome to all the US military personnel she speaks to throughout her shift.
“I like to think we’re doctors because you get your morning fix with us, you get your caffeine and we’re such a great crew,” she said.
“We make people feel like home and we have such great relationships.”
The Daily Grind cafe can be found at RAF Mildenhall inside the Galaxy Club, which is also home to an American Diner.
We turn up at lunchtime, when servicemen and women in their military uniforms are enjoying burgers and fries.
Despite its status as a Royal Air Force station, RAF Mildenhall primarily supports American troops and has done so since 1950.
Its current host unit is the 100th Air Refuelling Wing, which keeps US and allied nation planes in the sky across Europe and Africa.
Also based there is the 352nd Special Operations Wing, which has also made this little corner of England a home from home.
RAF Mildenhall supports more than 8,000 military personnel, dependents and retirees.
People are stationed here for between two and four years, so there needs to be enough on base to keep them entertained.
And in that regard, the bowling alley plays a big part.
The centre manager is Dennis Bailey from Florida. He and his British wife decided to settle here after he retired from the military.
“We’re here to provide a service to any airman who walks through the door, doesn’t matter what base they’re from," he tells me.
"That’s what we’re here for.
"That’s our primary mission, is to take care of the airmen, to give them a sense of home.”
Everyone we spoke to said they loved being so close to Cambridge and London.
When they have longer leave, the county is well positioned to explore the rest of Europe.
But everything they need is on base, from a cinema and post office to the supermarkets and home stores. There’s even a souvenir shop to send local postcards back to the States.
In the barbers, we came across Clare Simpson from Bury St Edmunds. She’s been working here for 35 years and said: “They are all so friendly. They’ve made my life happy here.”
After many years of speculation, a decision to close RAF Mildenhall was reversed in 2020 and US military personnel continue to arrive for their postings here.
And when the time comes, hopefully heading home, with fond memories of Suffolk.
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