were among the events staged during World War Two

As well as training for upcoming military campaigns that would help the Allies win the war, they staged American football and baseball games in Belfast.

The proceeds went towards local hospitals, set up a fund for orphans of the Belfast Blitz and made toys for kids in the children's ward of the Royal Victoria Hospital at Christmas 1942 and 1943.

While their interactions with the population were overwhelmingly positive, there was a darker side to their presence.

It's a story that's been researched by Alan Freeburn, learning and collections officer of the Northern Ireland War Memorial.

He says the boredom facing some of the troops led to many cases of drunk and disorderly behaviour, striking officers, soldiers going AWOL and theft.

However, there were alsoa small number of much more serious cases, two of which resulted in American soldiers being executed for murders carried out in Northern Ireland.

Race riot

Antrim was the scene of a confrontation between white and black troops in September 1942.

It's fair to say details of the incident are rather sketchy.

A New York Times report from the time states that a black US soldier was fatally stabbed in a brawl with white US soldiers outside a pub in Antrim. A white soldier also suffered serious gunshot injuries, but survived.

The report quotes a statement from the Headquarters of the United States Army in Northern Ireland.

"Several shots were fired before the disorder was ended," it said.

"One soldier was killed, the victim of knife wounds. Another soldier was seriously wounded. No civilians were