12 February 1943 – The Willys-Overland Company, which brought America the Jeep, celebrated its 40th anniversary. The original design for an all-terrain troop transport vehicleâfeaturing four-wheel drive, masked fender-mount headlights, and a rifle rack under the dashâwas submitted to the U.S. Armed Forces by the American Bantam Car Company in 1939. The Army loved Bantamâs design, but the production contract was ultimately given to Willys-Overland on the basis of its similar design and superior production capabilities. Mass production of the Willys Jeep began after the U.S. declaration of war in 1941. By 1945, 600,000 Jeeps had rolled off the assembly lines and onto battlefields in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The name âJeepâ is supposedly derived from the Armyâs request to car manufacturers to develop a âGeneral Purposeâ vehicle. âGee Peeâ turned to âJeepâ somewhere along the battle lines. The Willys Jeep became a cultural icon in the U.S. during World War II, as images of G.I.s in Gee Pees liberating Europe saturated the newsreels in movie theaters across the country.
MILITARY HISTOEY SOCIETY OF ROCHESTER
ROCHESTERMILITARY.COM
