An A. C. gas discharge display and memory device is driven with sustain pulses which operate at a frequency such that the sustain pulses terminate within the region of the gas discharge curve slightly after currents reach their maximum and flow begins to terminate. Frequencies are selected such that for the lower applied voltages, cells will not fire. To permit operation within this region of the discharge curve at frequencies which will allow deionization, relatively slow risetime sustain pulses are used. For Neon with traces of Argon at pressures between 400 to 800 Torr., alternating sustain pulses having a frequency range of from 40 to 80 K Hz and a risetime range of from 1.8 to 2.2 Mu sec. have been found to be optimum.