1. An associative memory system, comprising: storing means having at least first and second units for storing data therein, wherein a first predetermined number of bytes of data are obtained serially from said first unit followed by a second predetermined number of bytes of data obtained serially from said second unit to provide a stream of bytes of data; first means and second means for simultaneously receiving at least a portion of said stream of said bytes of data as they are read serially from said storing means; said first means also including a loop buffer for receiving and storing serially at least a portion of said stream of bytes of data from said storing means; said second means also having means for performing at least one operation on at least a portion of said stream of said bytes of data as they are obtained serially from said storing means; and said first means also having means for writing bytes of data from said loop buffer into said storing means simultaneously as said bytes of data are read therefrom whereby a write address for writing a said byte of data into said storing means is obtained by subtracting a third predetermined number from a current address of a byte of data being read from said storing means.