Balkin

PICTURES FROM SEYMOUR BALKIN
Navigator, Crew #2, 25th Squadron
(Maj. Daniel Rogers, A/C)

CHAKULIA, INDIA 1944

Back ; Sgt. Messersmith; Sgt. Garifo; Sgt. Culver; Sgt. Borders; Sgt Serafin Front: Maj. Rogers; Lt. Balkin; Lt. Cook; Lt. Karesh; Lt. Bursch; F/O Ramsey	Crew Inspection	Formal parade at Chakulia for the award of Legion of Merit to Col. Leonard Harmon by Gen. La Verne Saunders
All the "high brass" lined up for the ceremony From left" Gen. Saunders, Col. Leonard "Jake" Harmon (others unidentified)	Pinning the medal	Lt. Cook and Lt. Bursch in front of barracks with house boys
Maj. Daniel Rogers Airplane Commander	Lt. Danny Bursch Pilot	Lt. Claude Cook Bombardier
Barracks at Chakulia, 1944	Lt. David Bursch outside barracks	Lt. Seymour Balkin with several 'house boys" outside barracks at Chakulia
Relaxing on home-made furniture in front of barracks Balkin, Cook, and Bursch	Balkin shaving	Waiting for chow Cook, Stevens
Lt. Claude Cook	Slit trench next to barracks (Balkin)	Walter Ramsey (Flight Engineer)
Capt. Dean Delafield Squadron Navigator (25th)	Bursch, Cook	Capt. James Slattery
Bursch, Cook	Local family scene Along side field at Chakulia	Balkin outside the barracks
Balkin and houseboys	Natives returning home after roadbuilding outside barracks area	Road building scene

Maj. Benton O'Neil taking a bath	Lt. Barton	Capt. James Slattery	Lt. Betz
Capt. Truesdale wanted a picture in his combat outfit to impress a girlfriend at home - (110 degrees in the shade at the time)	Balkin	Bursch	Balkin
Lt. Claude Cook preparing to shave	Lt. Middleton	Lt. Claude Cook	Cook, Bursch and houseboy
Balkin. Bursch, and houseboys	Balkin outside barracks (newly arrived) They soon moved all cots outside

ROAD BUILDING PROJECT
(Near the Chakulia Barracks)

First, Rocks are Crushed and carried on the heads of women	Men crush the rocks Women carry and dump them	More crushed rocks
Next step Applying tar or asphalt	Job foreman	Applying tar
Child helper carrying water for workers	Final touch - steamroller	Typical worker with child
Work break	Children accompany working mothers	More children

VISIT TO A NEARBY TOWN
(JAMSHEDPUR)

A Number of Street Scenes follow	Traffic Officer and Balkin	Rogers, Bursch, Cook	Bursch
Rogers, Cook			Balkin
Cook, Karesh, Bursch			Bursch
Bursch

HSINCHING, CHINA 1944

Street Scene, Hsinching, China	Lt. Larsen and "friend" (Hsinching)	Lt. Claude Cook and Maj. Daniel Rogers Hsinching, China
Claude Cook	Seymour Balkin on right Maj. Rogers with the umbrella	Hsinching Street Scene Rogers, Doyle, Myers, Cook
Karesh, Friedman, Larsen Hsinching	Lt. Cook, Unk., Capt. Myers Hsinching	Hsinching Street Scene
Bursch carrying a teapot purchased by Balkin for $7,000 (Chinese) (it's in Balkin's home today)	Friedman, Unk., Doyle	Capt. Myers smoking Chinese pipe.
Outside Hsinching River Boat	Balkin crossing river	On a River Boat Myers, Rogers, Doyle, Cook
Street Scene (Note open backside on baby's pants)	Outside Hsinching Chinese idols in mountainside	Another Chinese idol
Lt. Seymour Balkin, Lt. Claude Cook and Lt. Danny Bursch	Bursch (Buffalo bucked him off right after the picture was taken)	River Boats
Water Buffalo and Rcie Paddy	"No motor - just muscle"	Sgt. Sal Garifo
Balkin, Cook, Bursch and Chinese friends	Chinese Irrigation Device	Local Transport
"Ding Hao" - Thumbs Up	Chinese Child	Another
Classroom	"Ding Hao" Cook, Bursch, Garifo	Garifo, Cook, Bursch "Ding Hao"
Bursch	Balkin	Bursch, Cook, Garifo

CALCUTTA, INDIA 1944

Calcutta railroad station	Another view	Calcutta street scene
Shoeshine (no shoes)	Capt. James Slattery and Maj. Daniel Rogers at "black hole" of Calcutta	Maj. Danny Rogers Howrah Bridge in background
Seymour Balkin in front of Jan Temple, Calcutta	Lt. Daniel Bursch	Capt. James Slattery (2nd from left) with his Co-Pilot, Navigator and Bombardier
Rogers, Balkin, Cook, and Bursch	Bursch (Howrah Bridge)	Seymour Balkin (Howrah Bridge)
Calcutta Street Scene	Traffic Cop	Another Street Scene
A Shop in Calcutta	Water Fountain	Taking a Shave
Calcutta Street	Lt. Daniel Bursch	Jan Temple
Cook, Bursch and little girl posing	Maj.Rogers, Capt. Slattery, Lt. Cook (others unidentified)) At the Railroad Station	F/O Walter Ramsey and Cook (Railway in Calcutta)
Balkin at Grand Hotel

CAIRO, EGYPT 1944
(Stopover en route overseas)
As Tom Brokaw might report "In his own words" (Seymour Balkin's)

There is a story about the following pictures. En route overseas from Kansas to India, all planes were grounded when we reached Cairo due to several mishaps to the B-29'sincluding Major O'Neill totalling a B-29 in Cairo (no injuries to the crew).
All planes were grounded for several days and the crews confined to base for secrecy and security. However, a few of us, including Lt. Claude Cook, myself, Lt. Middleton and others managed to leave the base by borrowing a jeep and attaching ourselves to an outgoing convoy. We toured Cairo, visited the Sphinx and Pyramids, did some shopping, and tried to get back to base. Unfortunately, we were arrested on the way into the base, given a reprimand, and held under house arrest until we got to Chakulia.

Cook and Balkin in summer uniforms	Another - Others are unidentified	Lt. Balkin
River scene near Cairo	Cook on way to Pyramids	Another river scene
Lt. Cook	Also Cook	Shepheard's Hotel and Lt. Cook
In the background is the Mena House Hotel where Roosevelt and Churchill met	Lt. Balkin	Cairo street scene