In the UK during World War II when the GI's were stationed here they were all regarded as Yanks at first but that was probably down to jealousy because the men that were left could not compete with what the GI's had to offer English women with gifts of nylons, gum, chocolate, good music and jitterbug dancing.

My mum had a GI boyfriend years before she met my dad but her father disapproved because in his opinion she was too young and parents word was law back then. He returned to Kansas. When the war was over my mum met up with my dad who was in the process of adjusting from being overseas in the war and eventually they married. In later years they all met when I was in my teens, mum's old GI boyfriend, his wife and my dad and have remained friends ever since. My dad uses the word Yank with affection rather than malice.