John Merson (AC 1966) Papers, 1960-1968
type: FindingAid
type: Document
conforms to: General International Standard for Archival Description
publisher: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
encoded as: John Merson (AC 1966) Papers, 1960-1968
topic: Merson Papers
subject: Merson Papers
has part: Biographical History for: Merson Papers
topic: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
subject: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
topic: Directory of Freshman Class of 1966 (2 copies) 1962
subject: Directory of Freshman Class of 1966 (2 copies) 1962
topic: Journal 1963 Apr-1965 Feb
subject: Journal 1963 Apr-1965 Feb
topic: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
subject: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
topic: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1960-1962
subject: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1960-1962
topic: Letters to father from Amherst College (includes also some undated letters) 1963 Oct-1964 Apr
subject: Letters to father from Amherst College (includes also some undated letters) 1963 Oct-1964 Apr
topic: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1965
subject: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1965
topic: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jan-May
subject: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jan-May
topic: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jun-Dec
subject: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jun-Dec
topic: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1967
subject: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1967
topic: Letters by Merson printed in Amherst Student and Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News 1967 Mar
subject: Letters by Merson printed in Amherst Student and Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News 1967 Mar
topic: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1968
subject: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1968
topic: Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
subject: Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
topic: Notes on Vietnam War ca. 1968
subject: Notes on Vietnam War ca. 1968
topic: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
subject: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
topic: Wyoming 1961-1963
subject: Wyoming 1961-1963
topic: Vocational preference scores [1962?]
subject: Vocational preference scores [1962?]
topic: Photograph of Merson (Lenoir-Rhyne College) n.d.
subject: Photograph of Merson (Lenoir-Rhyne College) n.d.

General International Standard for Archival Description
type: Standard

Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
type: Repository
type: Organization
type: Agent
country code: US
maintenance agency code: ma
is publisher of: John Merson (AC 1966) Papers, 1960-1968
administers: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
provides access to: Merson Papers
provides access to: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
provides access to: Directory of Freshman Class of 1966 (2 copies) 1962
provides access to: Journal 1963 Apr-1965 Feb
provides access to: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
provides access to: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1960-1962
provides access to: Letters to father from Amherst College (includes also some undated letters) 1963 Oct-1964 Apr
provides access to: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1965
provides access to: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jan-May
provides access to: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jun-Dec
provides access to: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1967
provides access to: Letters by Merson printed in Amherst Student and Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News 1967 Mar
provides access to: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1968
provides access to: Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
provides access to: Notes on Vietnam War ca. 1968
provides access to: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
provides access to: Wyoming 1961-1963
provides access to: Vocational preference scores [1962?]
provides access to: Photograph of Merson (Lenoir-Rhyne College) n.d.

Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
type: SpatialThing
is administered by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

John Merson (AC 1966) Papers, 1960-1968
type: EAD
type: Document
description: Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Sarang Gopalakrishnan. 2003-06-24
created: 2003-06-24
conforms to: Encoded Archival Description
conforms to: Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
encoding of: John Merson (AC 1966) Papers, 1960-1968

Encoded Archival Description
type: Standard

Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
type: Standard

Merson Papers
type: ArchivalResource
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
level: collection
date: 1960-1968
date created accumulated string: 1960-1968
date created accumulated start: 1960
date created accumulated end: 1968
produced in: Creation of Merson Papers
extent: 1 archives box
extent: (0.5 linear ft.)
language: eng
origination: Merson, John C.
has biographical history: Biographical History for: Merson Papers
scopecontent: Scope and Contents of the Collection The bulk of the papers consist of Merson's letters written home to family members during Marine Corps basic training and combat duty in Vietnam, 1965-1968, in which he describes conditions in that country, his thoughts about the war and his plans for his life after the military. Also included are a journal kept by Merson during his undergraduate days at Amherst and an undated notebook, written sometime after his military service, that records changes in Merson's views on the Vietnam War. Although his letters home do not reveal many of his personal views about the politics of the war, the later notebook clearly indicates his weakening support for it.
associated with: Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975--Sources.
associated with: Merson, John C.
associated with: Amherst College. Class of 1966. Merson, J.
associated with: Diaries.
associated with: Letters.
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
aggregates: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
has part: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
aggregates: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
has part: Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
aggregates: Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
has part: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
aggregates: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968

collection
type: Level
type: Concept

Creation of Merson Papers
type: Creation
type: Event
product: Merson Papers
involved: Merson Papers
time: Time of Creation of Merson Papers
at time: Time of Creation of Merson Papers

Time of Creation of Merson Papers
type: Interval
timeline: universaltimeline
start: 1960
interval starts: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1960
P86i contains: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1960
end: 1968
interval ends: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1968
P86i contains: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1968

1 archives box
type: Extent
label: (0.5 linear ft.)

Merson, John C.
type: Agent
is origination of: Merson Papers

Biographical History for: Merson Papers
type: BiographicalHistory
type: Document
type: DocumentPart
body: Biographical Note John Cox Merson was born in Washington, D.C. in 1944. He grew up chiefly in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and graduated from the Kent School, Connecticut, in 1962. As an undergraduate at Amherst he majored in Political Science, was President of Student Council in his Junior year (1965) and participated in wrestling, crew, and cross country. In 1965 after his Junior year, Merson withdrew from Amherst without receiving a degree. He enlisted in the Marine Corps, undergoing basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, and Camp Pendleton, California. In May 1966 he shipped out for a tour of duty in Vietnam as part of the 7th Marine Regiment, 3rd Battallion, K Company, 3rd Platoon. After a year of combat duty, Merson returned to the U.S. in May 1967. Upon leaving the military, Merson enrolled at the University of North Carolina; he later earned an MBA degree at Harvard Business School. He has worked as an administrator at Lenoir Rhyne College, Hickory, North Carolina, under the auspices of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. In the 1970s Merson entered the field of management consulting in New York, working actively with educational institutions.
topic: Merson, John C.
subject: Merson, John C.
is biographical history for: Merson Papers
is part of: John Merson (AC 1966) Papers, 1960-1968

Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975--Sources.
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Merson, John C.
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Merson, John C.
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type: E21 Person

United States. Marine Corps. Division, 1st. Regiment, 7th. Battallion, 3rd. Kilo Company. Platoon, 3rd.--Sources.
type: Concept
in scheme: lcsh

Amherst College. Class of 1966. Merson, J.
type: Concept
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focus: amherstcollegeclassof1966mersonj

Diaries.
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aat
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Letters.
type: Concept
type: GenreForm
in scheme: aat

Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Merson Papers
is aggregated by: Merson Papers
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
level: series
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: Directory of Freshman Class of 1966 (2 copies) 1962
aggregates: Directory of Freshman Class of 1966 (2 copies) 1962
has part: Journal 1963 Apr-1965 Feb
aggregates: Journal 1963 Apr-1965 Feb

Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Merson Papers
is aggregated by: Merson Papers
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
level: series
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1960-1962
aggregates: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1960-1962
has part: Letters to father from Amherst College (includes also some undated letters) 1963 Oct-1964 Apr
aggregates: Letters to father from Amherst College (includes also some undated letters) 1963 Oct-1964 Apr
has part: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1965
aggregates: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1965
has part: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jan-May
aggregates: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jan-May
has part: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jun-Dec
aggregates: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jun-Dec
has part: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1967
aggregates: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1967
has part: Letters by Merson printed in Amherst Student and Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News 1967 Mar
aggregates: Letters by Merson printed in Amherst Student and Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News 1967 Mar
has part: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1968
aggregates: Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1968

Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Merson Papers
is aggregated by: Merson Papers
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
level: series
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: Notes on Vietnam War ca. 1968
aggregates: Notes on Vietnam War ca. 1968

Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Merson Papers
is aggregated by: Merson Papers
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
level: series
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: Wyoming 1961-1963
aggregates: Wyoming 1961-1963
has part: Vocational preference scores [1962?]
aggregates: Vocational preference scores [1962?]
has part: Photograph of Merson (Lenoir-Rhyne College) n.d.
aggregates: Photograph of Merson (Lenoir-Rhyne College) n.d.

series
type: Level
type: Concept

Directory of Freshman Class of 1966 (2 copies) 1962
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
is aggregated by: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Journal 1963 Apr-1965 Feb
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
is aggregated by: Series 1: AMHERST COLLEGE, 1962-1965
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1960-1962
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Letters to father from Amherst College (includes also some undated letters) 1963 Oct-1964 Apr
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1965
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jan-May
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1966 Jun-Dec
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1967
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Letters by Merson printed in Amherst Student and Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News 1967 Mar
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Correspondence, chiefly outgoing 1968
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
is aggregated by: Series 2: CORRESPONDENCE, 1960-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Notes on Vietnam War ca. 1968
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
is aggregated by: Series 3: NOTES ON VIETNAM WAR, [1968?]
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Wyoming 1961-1963
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
is aggregated by: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Vocational preference scores [1962?]
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
is aggregated by: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Photograph of Merson (Lenoir-Rhyne College) n.d.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
is aggregated by: Series 4: PERSONAL AFFAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS, ca. 1961-1968
access provided by: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections