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| The History of the Jeep |
| This century has seen many changes. During the 20th century many of the most profound changes happened with the birth of new ideas and inventions. During W.W.II, many of these inventions changed the way that we fight, live and work. The invention of the jeep played a major role during W.W.II by saving lives, winning battles, and providing the ability to cover terrain more quickly. |
| The first type of vehicle that was used on the battle field was called a Bellyflopper. It used a 15hp. engine in the rear and had a steerable front axle. There was no suspension and little ground clearance. The soldier would lie flat on the ground and shoot from the Bellyflopper`s .30 caliber machine gun" (Sgalia 1). This led to the Army`s idea of a light reconnaissance car. They contacted 135 companies with a few, but aggressive requirements. These were front and rear driving axles (4WD), a two-speed transfer case, 75 in wheelbase, rectangular body, a folding windshield and three seats. Of the 135 companies, only American Bantam Car Co. responded before the deadline (Sgalia 1). It did not however, have the features that the army wanted in their vehicle. The army then sent out the Bantam`s designs of the Blitz Buggy to Ford and Willys Overland. Willys Overland created a prototype called the Quad. It was a major improvement over the Blitz Buggy with 4WD and a larger, more reliable engine called the "Go Devil". The army named the vehicle the Willy`s MB. The main concept of this new vehicle was to go places that had previously never explored by an automobile. The fact that the jeep was able to access many areas where only soldiers were before gave the American Soldiers a distinct advantage. The jeep was able to carry supplies, weapons and could shoot large machine guns. This was the goal and with the Army`s demands met, the large scale production of the MB started. |
| The performance of the Willy`s MB was fantastic. It was said that the four-cylinder "Go Devil" engine could be run at 4000 revolutions per minute for 100 straight hours. It could run without strain from 3-60 mph, tilt right or left 50 degrees, and climb a 40-degree slope. (Smit 1). Greg Adams, the son of a World War 2 vet, said of his father, " My dad served with the 9th Division Reconnaissance Troop Mech. in Europe. During the Ardennes Campaign it was very cold. To stay warm the men would dig a trench, pull the jeep over them, and leave the engine running for a heat source" (Phadera 3). Army official Earnie Pyle put it best when he said, "Good Lord, I don`t think that we could continue the war without the jeep. It does everything. It goes everywhere. It`s faithful as a dog, strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat. It constantly carries twice what is designed for, and keeps going. It doesn`t even ride bad one you get use to it" (Smit 1). The jeep was known to pull 25 tons of railroad cars at a rate of 25 miles per hour (Smit 1-2). The jeep's ability to work just as hard as the soldiers gave them a sense of pride in their machinery. The jeep had many important uses. Some of these were more creative that others and that enabled the soldiers to win battles that earlier could not have been won. The versatility of the jeep was put to the test with some of the most outrageous and some of the most practical of modifications that the inventors could throw at it. |
| The jeep had now set a reputation as a premiere reconnaissance vehicle. Because of the jeep`s ability to aid in so many ways there were many ideas on how to make models to serve certain purposes. This led to many variations of the jeep. "The first of the modifications was the GPA Amphibious Jeep. In 1941, a suggestion was made to develop a 1/4 ton amphibious vehicle based on the Willy`s MB" (Pheadra 2). The prototype developed by Ford Motor Co. worked well but it was too heavy and hard to drive through the diverse terrain. The GWA simply required too much maintenance. Another problem faced was that many of London`s levees were to steep for the GWA to climb. |
| Another prototype variation was the tracked jeep. The reason for experimenting with the track came from the operation in snow and mud. The Canadian Bombardier Co. designed and manufactured the T28 Half-track Snow Tractor" (Pheadra 4). These T28s worked well in their limited situations during the war. One of the most outrageous designs was that of George Walker. He named it the Fleep. The design used the frame of a Willy`s MB and glider style wings. "The downside to this flying / gliding Jeep was that it could only be towed at 115 mph which almost made the tow aircraft stall. The development of these "Fleeps" only lasted a short time and they were soon discontinued" (Pheadra 5). |
| The last major variation of the jeep was the 6x6 jeep. It was designed using the MB body and frame. The six-wheeled vehicle was primarily used for 37mm anti-tank gun" (Phaedra 3). The new 6x6 jeep could carry ten men with the 37-mm gun. This jeep was mainly set up along shorelines to stop enemy tanks from entering the beach. The modifications that came from the jeeps show how well loved and respected they were. Some of these inventions and modifications of the jeep made it easier to cover rough terrain and rescue stranded or wounded soldiers. These vehicles probably saved thousands of American lives. It is rare that a machine can affect so many lives the way that the jeep did. The respect that the jeep earned was evident after the war by the number of soldiers who bought one for personal use and the great number of people who continue to purchase the Jeep today. |
| Even before the war was over, Willys Overland had plans for a civilian model. There were minor changes but the design mainly stayed the same" (Smit 2 "In 1981 the use of the jeep in the army came to a halt with the introduction of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HUM-V or Hummer). The Hummer was just as tough as the jeep but it was able to withstand explosions and submerged driving" (Smit 2). The Army needed a new, high tech vehicle to combat the different types of obstacles and problems even faster that the jeep could. The Hummer is still used by the army today. Even though the Hummer took over, the jeep`s popularity remains with retired army veterans. |
| The jeep continued with the Wrangler series. These jeeps were a disappointment because they were under-powered and not as tough as the earlier CJ model. It is no wonder that "the jeep was the outstanding all-purpose utility vehicle of the Second World War, and the most intimidated afterwards" (Smit 3). If the jeeps hadn`t have not been such a factor in the outcome of the war, the use of them after would have been little to none. The fact that the Army continued to use them for 35 years after the war tells volumes about their effect on the lives of those who fought in WWII. The jeep has proved itself to be an invaluable part of America`s Heritage and without it, the war could not have been won. |
| The invention of the jeep played a major role during W.W.II by saving lives, winning battles, and covering more terrain much quicker. If the concept of a vehicle such as the jeep had not seriously considered and implemented into use, the war would have gone on much longer with a higher rate of casualties. The jeep`s ability to carry ammo weapons, supplies, and the wounded gave the American army the upper hand in many crucial battles. The early jeep is the predecessor to the modern day war machines such as the Hummer. They all encompass the same basic technology of strength, durability and four wheel drive to go farther and faster than ever before. |
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