A SMALL part of Warrington's role in one of the most notorious episodes of the Cold War has been found.

Frederick S Reinhart, from Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, found these photographs of his time at the United States Air Force base at Burtonwood.

Along with thousands of others, he was sent to Burtonwood, known as Little America during the Second World War, and served from January 1949 until the end of the Berlin Airlift later that year.

He spotted the pictures during a clear out at home and, after reading the tale of fellow American Jim Lee on the Guardian's website - warringtonguardian.co.uk, decided to send them to us.

Mr Reinhart, now aged 76, said: "In January 1949 I was flown to Burtonwood Airbase and assigned to the 7546th Maintenance Squadron.

"We inspected and repaired the C-54s that flew food and supplies to Berlin during the airlift'. There was not much free time for six or eight months, except to walk to Warrington in the evening and spend a few hours at a dance club for servicemen, or bend my elbow at one of the pubs.

"It wasn't until around Christmas time 1949 that a buddy and I visited London and explored the city via the underground', saw Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma and Song of Norway playing at the Drury Lane Theatre. When the Berlin Airlift wound down, I was sent back to the States, then to Taegu, Korea when that conflict started, finishing my tour of duty in Florida in a Troop Carrier Squadron."

The airlift was sparked in the years following the end of the Second World War. The German city was divided into US, British, French and Soviet zones.

When the Soviets attempted to block the western zone, stopping food and supplies getting in, US president Harry S Truman decided to start an airlift.

Supplies were flown in, with many of the planes flying from Burtonwood Airbase.

As Mr Reinhart's pictures show, however, the centre of Warrington also became a home away from home for many of the US forces and troops.

gdunning@guardiangrp.co.uk