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Description
In this oral history, Vietnam veteran Ernie Bergman discusses his life in Mill Valley and his experience serving in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Ernie was born in San Francisco in 1948, and his family moved to Mill Valley one year later. His father was a sea captain from Sweden, and his mother was a registered nurse from Iowa. Ernie discusses fond memories of growing up in Mill Valley, including his time as a student at Tamalpais High School. As graduation approached Ernie eagerly joined the Navy and later received orders that would take him to the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan. Ernie describes the great feeling of camaraderie and brotherhood he felt as a serviceman, and also discusses the strong anti-veteran sentiment he experienced upon his return to Marin. Back in the States, Ernie began studying for a master's degree at San Francisco State and then midway through the program went to work for stock brokerage and securities firm Dean Witter. Diagnosed with cancer in 1977, Ernie discusses his battle against the disease and his experience undergoing experimental treatments. After regaining his health, he resumed working for Dean Witter and later went on to work for State Farm Insurance. He eventually became a retirement investment counselor. During this time, Ernie also shared his life experience by lecturing at high schools.
Identifier
9B557A16-9491-4D29-91E8-155071331047 2016.021.001
Subject
Aggers, Bob Anti-war Archibald, Mike Berlin, Germany Blithedale Avenue Boyle Park Bus Depot Bush, George W Cancer China Chu Lai Clark Air Force Base College of Marin Collins, Chuck Corcoran, Corky Cubi Point Airbase Da Nang Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Desert Storm Dowd's Edna Maguire School Esposti's Ice Cream Parlor Ewald, Dick G.I. Bill Galileo Adult School Garrison, Henry Gulf War Gunboats Hamilton Air Force Base Hawaii Homestead School Iowa Iraq Veterans Iraq War Japan La Ginestra La Petite Lecturing Lee, Herbert, Dr Marin City Marin General Marines Mayer's Department Store Mekong Delta Memorial Day Parade Mill Valley MV history - Baby boom years (1950s and early 1960s) MV history - Music and counterculture (1960s and 1970s) Navy Nixon, Richard Old Mill School Olongapo City Park School Philippines Rogers, Bob Saigon Salvation Army San Diego San Francisco San Francisco State University San Rafael Sequoia Theater Subic Bay Sweden Sweetwater Tachikawa Air Force Base Tam Valley Tamalpais High School Terra Linda The University of California, San Francisco Medical Center Ton Son Nut Air Force Base Travis Air Force Base Treasure Island Varney's Hardware Veterans Veterans' organizations Vietnam Wake Island White, Horace World War II Yokosuka Naval Base
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