JOHN HERGERT'S ART GAINS NATIONAL PROMINANCE

"Skateboarder" - Alumninum Sculpture by John Hergert - Chicago - Fall 2007

Excitement continues to grow about the sculptures of former San Fernando Valley artist John Hergert. The winner of Red Bull's "Art of the Can contest", Hergert worked in Woodland Hills and lived in North Hollywood during his time in the Valley. Here's hoping the folks at Red Bull bring the Skaterboarder sculpture here to the Valley, where the sport originated.

MAP OF INVASION OF IWO JIMA IN WORLD WAR II

As your Museum processes incoming materials to our archieves, we will be sharing them on thise blog. Many of our recent aquisitions are of a military nature. This is a map of the exploits of a member of the 3rd Marine Division during the invasion of Iwo Jima. The use of the word "Jap" for Japanese are the Marine's own term and commonly used during the heat of the war.


Pencil map of Iwo Jima, done by PFC James L. Fecht showing his positions during the invasion of the island. "Travels of Jim on Iwo Jima Isle"

(left) positions of the 5th Marine Division
(center) 3rd Marine Division
(right) 4th Marine Division

Follow the line going up the mountain >>>>>>>> Barriers are indicated as fence-like horizontal lines.
1. Where the battle begins for Jim
2. First barrier
3. "Under heavy fire here." Second barrier.
4. "Spent 21st birthday here in foxhole."
5. Third barrier - to the left is an airfield
6. Fourth barrier
7. "Enemy bodies stacked up here after bonsai attack.
"Crawled across enemy rifle range here."
8. Fourth barrier "Buddy mine got Silver Star here for attack on pill box.
Americans were pinned down here, until an American Indian Marine
attacked the machine gun emplacement from its extreme left, under cover fire from Jim and his buddies. He had risked his life to stop
the firing on his unit. He killed the Japanese defenders with hand
grenades.
9. Fifth barrier "Picked up Jap flag and hari kari knife here."
10. The 3rd Marines and 4th Marines join together to secure the mountain
top, then move right down and across a sixth barrier.

MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY PLANS ITS ARCHIVES

Dr. Robert Marshall - CSUN -explains the workings of the University Archives to Museum Board members. November 2007

Dr. Robert G. Marshall, head archivist of the Urban Archives Center and University Archives of California State University Northridge aids Board Members of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley to plan our Valley-wide archives. Here he demonstrated the massive archive vault in the Oviatt Library to Board Members Gary Fredburg, Shel Weisbach and Fred Berk.

Dr. Marshall and his associate Tony Gardner, Curator of the Special Collections/Archives of the University, emphasized how even the best meaning historical and cultural institutions without state-of-the-art preservation policies and equipment only slow down the process of the loss of priceless artifacts and documents. Issues such as security, theft, poor documentation and many other issues were presented to your Museum Community's representatives.

Establishing a great Museum of history and culture for the greater San Fernando Valley is far more than simply acquiring artifacts. Just cataloguing materials and presenting them on-line as useful digital archives is a massive undertaking.

The acquisition of a headquarters for your Museum's operations is our first priority. We must have a place to process and protect the steady stream of historic materials that are coming in our doors. This week alone we acquired an important collection of memorabilia from the US space program, collections of political memorabilia, relics from World War II, as well as significant photographs, notebooks and letters.

Thanks for supporting your Museum this last year.
We are going to make 2008 The Year of The Museum!
Jerry Fecht

YOUR MUSEUM SERVES THE ENTIRE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Bronze Baseball Belt Buckle - 1948 - AA Semi-Professiona Legue - Collection of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley

Founded in 2005, The Museum of the San Fernando Valley was incorporated to serve residents of the Valley suburb communities of Los Angeles but also the greater San Fernando Valley as well. Our Museum Community collects artifacts and preserves information about the independent cities of San Fernando, Burbank, Glendale, Eagle Rock, the Canyon Communities, Calabasas and Topanga Canyon. Our interests are the interests and needs of the whole region.

The Museum of the SFV collects art and craft objects as well as historical items. Most local historical organizations have a focus strictly on their part of the city, but your Museum recognizes that the things that impact the lives of modern residents of the Valley come from nearly every region of our world.

Baseball's impact on our lives and culture deserves as much attention as do the Ice Age animals that once roamed the Valley. From the Tongva culture to Red Car Transportation, from Rocket Engines to Video Games, your Museum explores the many things and events that surround the 1,800,000 residents of the greater San Fernando Valley.

Do you have a unique collection, interest or heritage that you would like to share today and with future generations? Give your Museum a call today: (818) 609-1665. The folks at Anchor Education Foundation will make sure you get in touch.

"The San Fernando Valley deserves a great Museum of history and culture."

U.S. MARINES - 3RD DIVISION - CAMP ELLIOT, CALIFORNIA 1942

"Hab Garrison and Lee Moon - 1942
Jim Fecht (left), "Hab" Garrison, Lee Moon and "Dago" 1942
Among the many artifacts given to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley in memory of James Fecht were these two photographs taken in Camp Elliot, California in 1942. These damaged photographs, enhanced slightly here for clarity, were taken shortly before these members of the 3rd Marine Division were deployed from San Diego to the war in the Pacific. The photographs were processed by the Sauer Studio in Greenville, Mississipi. The photos were among the few items carried by James Fecht during his time in the military.
As the war progressed, Jim Fecht said that he lost so many of his buddies from boot camp and from Camp Elliot that he would not intentionally make new friends. The pain of losing them was too great.