Gary Nereson
Gary Nereson sitting with his Vietnamese interpreter, ca. 1969. (Object ID 2024_2096_002_11)
Gary Nereson in combat gear, ca. early 1969. (Object ID2025.2096.019.07)
Gary Nereson at his desk at MACV Advisory Team 66 headquarters in My Tho, ca. 1969. (Object ID 2025.2096.019.67)
A Different Experience
Gary began in a combat role in Vietnam, but ended in a more civilian-looking position. Take some time to think about how this might have affected his memories or feelings about his deployment.
Electrification
Electricity keeps our schools and homes running here in Anoka County. Think about what it might have been like to live in a war zone with no electricity. What would some of those challenges or benefits be?
Gary wrote lots of letters back to his wife and baby girl, but doesn’t want anyone to read those personal items. How does what we know about Gary’s experience change with this decision? What can we do to preserve his story without knowing those intimate details?
The back of object ID 2025.2096.019.07
cursive
The skill of reading and writing in cursive has evolved over the last 50 years as keyboard use has grown. Most of the documents and letters in the ACHS collection are written in cursive. Can you decipher any of the message on the back of the photo? Context clues might help you — match up the object ID number on this image with the photo above.
penmanship workbook, 1881
Cursive has changed over time. Look at these letters written in a workbook from 1881. What similarities and differences do you see between them, and how Gary wrote? What impact do you think being in a war would have on your penmanship?
Give it a try!
Take a big breath and see if you can draw the letters using the directions above. Some letters have one simple step (the “O”), and some have a more complicated path for your pen (the “R”).