A Little R & R

   Someone came in and told us flying had been suspended for a while and they were allowing us to get passes for Calcutta. We all jumped at the chance, the only transportation available to Calcutta was by train, and the nearest train station was about 25 miles. We packed for about a week’s trip, took a truck to the train station and loaded onto the train. The trip of about 150 miles took all night and half the next day. It creeped, groaned, and stopped at every village. We had a separate car with no seats, just a flat floor with hay to rest on. The rest of the train was loaded with people inside, outside hanging on, and riding on top. As we neared Calcutta the stench became nauseating. Leaving the station at Calcutta we saw dogs and vultures fighting over human bodies. People everywhere begging and children starving. We were told India was suffering the worst famine in their history. We found one the few hotels in the city that were available to U.S. service people. The next day we hired a couple of rickshaws (human pulled carts) and visited several Hindu shrines, the bathing area on the Ganges River, and some of their more famous temples. We could escape the horrible conditions these people lived under. People were starving and yet cows everywhere were walking the streets, in and out of stores, crapping where ever they desired.

   Cryer Road was a must- see street. We were told this street contained twenty thousand registered whores and the show they put on, to draw your attention, was beyond description. We went, we saw, and we were amazed at their nude exhibitions. We then visited several shops, mostly jewelry stores. I bought Muriel a few earrings and necklaces made of spun silver. We got a real education on how to haggle for prices. It was time to go back to base; we certainly weren't looking forward to that train ride back. We made it back OK, glad we went, and glad to get home.

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Men of the 7th Bomb Group