U.S. Military Jeep
The Jeep displayed here is actually a 1951 model jeep, distinguished from the 1942-45 WW II Army-Marine
model by its windshield without a divider bar. President Eisenhower generally traveled by Jeep, when
serving as General of the U.S. Army during WW II, and his driver was Capt K. Summersby. Above is
General Eisenhower in a jeep in 1944 in Europe.
The jeep became the primary light wheeled transport vehicle of the U.S. military and its allies, with
President Eisenhower once calling it "one of three decisive weapons the U.S. had during WW II." It was the
world's first mass-produced four-wheel drive car. General George Marshall called the little squared-off car
"America's greatest contribution to modern warfare."
General Eisenhower and the "Flying Jeep" photos like shown here inspired posters and perhaps the "Leaping
Lena" nickname. The Army's smallest toughest vehicle had a dozen pet names such as jeep, peep, blitz-
buggy, Leaping Lena, panzer-killer. "Jeep" was derived from the auto manufacturer stamp GPW (GP-
Willys).