It's always so much fun and so exciting to receive letters from "my" vets. I never know what's going to be inside and it's always a treat no matter what the content.

Today I received a letter from Cliff Duncan, 540th Combat Engineer, and he gave me more details. Here's a preview of what will be added to the site:

The 540th was in direct support of the following units at various times during WWII:

• 9th Infantry Division - 47th & 60th Infantry Regiments
• 1st Division - 18th Infantry Regiment
• 2nd Armored Division
• 82nd Airborne
• Darby's Rangers
• 3rd Infantry Division - 7th & 30th Infantry Regiments
• 36th Infantry Division - 141st, 142nd, & 143rd Infantry Regiments
• British 5th Division
• 14th Armored Division - 62nd Armored Infantry Battalion & 125th Armored Engineer Battalion
• 117th Cavalry
• 45th Infantry Division - 179th Infantry Regiment

Here's more info on the Anzio Invasion:

Made a 2 AM (nightime) landing. Mine clearance and obstruction removal across RED BEACH - area bordered by Anzio in the North, Canal Mussolini to the South. Supervision of off loading of DUKW's and other personnel carriers and equipment. Later rehabilitation of jetty, port of Anzio, reconstruction of bridges and roads throughout beachhead perimeter. Participation in breakout on May 26th and liberation of Rome, June 4-6, 1944.

The 540th was often responsible for its own area defense. This resulted in an expanded Table of Equipement (T/E) which included Sherman tanks, half tracks, and anti-tank guns, in addition to bazookas and the more usual equipment.

Some of this special hardware was employed in two behind the lines reconaissance landings in Sicily, employed in support of the Rangers during the Anzio landing, in support of the Canadian-American Special Forces along Canal Mussolini, and later during the Rhine River crossing in March of 1945.

Info from Mike Yoder

Re: P-38 and B-17

Posted on: 1/26/2005 9:02:54 PM

The P-38 seems to have been one of a kind in that respect, Art. The closest comparison might have been with Northrop's twin boom P-61 "Black Widow" night fighter. However, the Pratt and Whitney radials which powered the Widow don't seem to have been manufactured in a submodel which allowed for contrarotation. The concept of opposite rotation was introduced into the Lightning II and the first prototypes had the props swinging inboard. For reasons I don't completely understand, it improved roll stability to have the props swinging outboard, so Lockheed swapped the Allison V-12s from one boom to the other.The props swinging in opposite direction did cancel out the torque each generated. I'm not sure, but I seem to recall reading something about the slipstream from the propwash being directed into the intake for the Turbochargers more efficiently by having the props swinging outboard. Probably take an Engineer to answer that one. Here's a photo of a parked P-38 which shows the props pitched for outboard contra-rotation.

, just to elaborate on that; the RAF did place an order for the Lightning I, which preceded the advent of contrarotation. As for the supercharger, that item was banned for export prior to the US entering the war. The early version the RAF received was definitely a dog. The P-38 never achieved the star status of an air superiority fighter in Europe, although it was very effective in a ground support role. German troops dubbed it "Der Gabelschwanzteufel" (the Fork-Tailed Devil) as they became all too familiar with the way it shot up their supply lines and convoys.

The US 8th AF tried the P-38 as a fighter escort for the heavies, but only for a brief period of time. The plane had the range for that role but was at a distinct disadvantage in one on one combat against a FW-190. It was in the SW Pacific that the P-38 came into its own. Distinctly superior to anything the Japanese were flying, the Lightning was the scourge of the Solomons. A Squadron of P-38s flew an 1800 mile intercept mission which successfully downed Adm. Yamamoto's plane while he was on an inspection tour of Rabaul, New Guinea.

Charles Lindbergh flew a number of highly secret long-range recon missions in the P-38. He developed a flying technique which extended the range of the craft by nearly 1000 miles. Once at altitude and cruising speed, Lindbergh would throttle back the engines and set the prop pitch for maximum thrust. Maintenance people were concerned that the resulting lower manifold oil pressure would damage the engines, but a tear-down inspection revealed that this was not the case.

Also early P-38's did not have engines and props that rotated in opposite directions and the torque problems killed alot of cadets.

P-38 has two engines and they turn in opposite directions.

B-17 has four engines and they all turn in the same direction.

Is there any other plane , with more than one engine, that turn in opposite direction?

Art

Bill sent these to me. Will be posting more later.

Please note: If you are easily offended by swear words, I urge you not to read these. The general never minced words and and this is Patton in all his glory. These have not been altered in any way. You have been forewarned!

Here's his letter first:

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Had the pleasure of meeting Bill Douglass through my friend WWII vet, Gene Fiducia. Bill was a member of the 1301st Engineers and was part of Patton's 3rd Army. I will be creating a page for Bill hopefully later this week, but in the interim wanted to share some things with you.

He also sent me a complete interview that was conducted by the Florida State University's Oral History Department. That will take some time to scan and compile, but will be a welcome addition to our site in the near future.

Welcome Bill and thanks for sharing. It's deeply appreciated.

I will be posting the Patton speeches later today under the Anything WWII category.