A Jeep is much more than a SUV. It’s a vehicle with heritage, respect, and grit; it’s a vehicle with American history, and most Jeep owners know this. For those of you who don’t, here are three things you’ve got to know about Jeep.
Jeep’s military career
“The atomic bomb, the bazooka, the Jeep, and the DC-3 were the four tools that won the war for the Allies,” said Dwight D. Eisenhower after WWII. Why? Because the Jeep could go anywhere, carry everything, and run anytime. In fact, the Jeep was so good that German generals began ordering their soldiers to commandeer them whenever possible to replace their German-made SUVs. To this day, a Jeep is the only machine to ever receive a Purple Heart for its time in battle.
How Jeeps got their name
And consequently, it’s said that Jeep’s time in battle is where it acquired its name. In the military, a “GP” was slang for a “general purpose” vehicle, which is where the name “Jeep” supposedly originated. This would make sense because the Willys-Overland corporation (manufacturers of Jeep at the time) trademarked the name “Jeep” shortly after WWII.
There is also speculation that Jeeps were named after Eugene-the-Jeep, a comic strip character from the ‘30s described as loyal and capable of extraordinary feats. During this time, “Jeep” was synonymous with extraordinary.
The Jeep wave
It’s important for a family to have traditions, and that’s where the Jeep wave comes in. The Jeep wave is an unspoken camaraderie between Jeep owners. One Jeep waves at another as a way of saying, “Hey, nice Jeep.” There’s not much information about where the Jeep wave began, but here’s one thing we do know: it shouldn’t end. If you’re a Jeep owner, and you’re not waving, get your buns in gear.
Jeep’s heritage is important to us, so be sure to share what you’ve learned with any of your Jeep friends, and help keep our traditions alive. Want more stories like this? Let us know on our Facebook.