AS the Jeep drove down the hill from Wollaton Hall, its three passengers proudly surveyed their surroundings.
Before them were young and old, playing happily and enjoying the late spring sunshine.
It was a far cry from the first time one of the men, Corporal George Shenkle, visited the iconic hall and its grounds nearly 70 years ago.
At 22 he swapped his home in Philadelphia for a training camp at Wollaton Park, where he and other members of E Company 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment readied themselves for the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944.
Mr Shenkle, now 91, said: "It was quite a surprise. I only knew that Robin Hood had been here. We did basic training to get us ready for the invasion on D-Day."
He added: "We had some wonderful times.
"The people of Nottingham treated us so well. It was like a second home, and I've loved the place ever since."
Around 2,000 American GIs camped at Wollaton Park before D-Day – 336 members of 508th Regiment were killed in action in Normandy, while a further 487 were wounded and 165 missing in action.
Approximately 2,000 from 508th Regiment died, were wounded, or went missing across Europe in 1944-45.
Of his return visit to Wollaton Park, Mr Shenkle said: "It's wonderful to be back. I'm planning to also come back next year when it's the 70th anniversary of D-Day."
Mr Shenkle was joined by fellow GIs Roland Daniel and Herb Heubschen.
Mr Daniel left Ohio aged 21 as part of B Company 507th Regiment, which prepared for D-Day at Tollerton Hall.
Mr Daniel, now 90, said: "We made a couple of training jumps while at Tollerton. Then on the night of June 5 we went to the airport and flew out, and on June 6 jumped over France."
He added: "The people were really friendly. I always remember it as a home from home. It was pretty something to see it again."
Mr Heubschen, now 93, was in HQ Company 325 Glider Infantry Regiment, which trained in Scraptoft, Leicestershire.
The trio revisited each of their old stomping grounds yesterday, ending with the trip to Wollaton Park where they were met by around a dozen well-wishers, including 83-year-old Kathy Price, of Beechdale, who was 15 when she served food to American troops at the Milton Café, in Milton Street, Nottingham.
She said: "I had served soldiers from all over the world but I knew these were different as they had an eagle crest on their shoulders.
"We'd serve them a three-course meal which cost two shillings and six pence [12.5p in today's money]. It was very popular with the Americans, every single night.
"Nottingham was alive with American soldiers."
She added: "I loved it because they were so generous with their money. They used to leave more in tips than I earned in a week. By the time they had all left I could've bought my own house just in tips."
Of D-Day, she said: "The night before we were all crying and the Americans were singing We'll Meet Again.
"The next day we saw the Dakota planes overhead pulling the gliders. Everybody was cheering."
Veteran Ron Thorpe, a former Royal Marine Commando who took part in the D-Day landings, also welcomed the American trio.
Mr Thorpe, 89, of Strelley, said: "I'm very pleased they are making the Americans so welcome, because I believe but for the Americans we wouldn't have won the war.
"It would have been impossible."
Well-wisher Alan Gillies, 80, of Chilwell, said: "I remember I used to take bags of washing home for the US soldiers.
"I also used to go out there and take them bags full of cakes and fish and chips."
Graham Lawson, 53, of Bulwell, helped to organise the trip. Mr Lawson, an honorary member of the 508th veterans' association, said: "It's a privilege and honour to meet them. It's really important that we remember what they did."
A further celebration will take place today at Tollerton Hall to honour 507th Regiment.
