Local lends war artifacts

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Local WWII veteran Dan Stark, pictured in his 1943 Army Jeep, has loaned his collection of war artifacts to the “Pieces: Communities Collection from WWII” exhibit in Agoura Hills.

Malibu resident and WWII veteran Dan Stark has loaned his collection of military artifacts to the City of Agoura Hills’ WWII Exhibit, titled “Pieces: Communities Collection from WWII.”

The exhibit is taking place in conjunction with its One City, One Book program, which is paying tribute to “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand, a bestselling book based on WWII veteran Louis Zamperini.

The WWII exhibit opened April 6 at the Agoura Hills Library.

Among the war artifacts on display is a 1943 Willy’s MB U.S. Army Jeep, which was manufactured by Ford as a 4-wheel-drive, light utility vehicle between 1941-1945.

“It made quite an impression on soldiers during the war,” said Stark, now 79. “Soldiers informally named them after Eugene the Jeep, a character in the Popeye cartoons created by E. C. Segar.”

While the exhibit is on display at the Agoura library, Stark’s Army Jeep will be at City Hall.

Other artifacts from Stark’s collection on display include aviation art prints signed by pilots who flew the planes during the war. Among them is a print of a B-25 fighter plane signed by Lt. Col. James Doolittle, commanding the first air raid over Tokyo in 1942.

The WWII exhibit will be on display throughout the month. For more information, visit ci.agoura-hills.ca.us.