1932 through 1940 the U.S. Army flirted with several ideas for a small vehicle for military purposes. The ideas ranged from a small automobile to a lightweight reconnaissance car, mobile machine gun and personnel carrier, back to the lightweight automobile to replace the motorcycle. It was peacetime, the military was downsized and of little interest to Congress after WWI, so none of the ideas received the necessary interest or funding and were soon dropped. It wasn't until February 1940 with the war in Europe looming that the Army got serious and formed a special committee to research specifications for "Light Vehicle Development."

     The leading competitors by October 1940 were: The American Bantam Car Company of Butler, PA, with the Bantam "Pilot," many Jeep historians designate this as the first and original Jeep design; The Willys-Overland "Ouad;" The Ford Motor Company "Pigmy."

1941 After numerous specification and design changes, all three companies were given contracts to produce the vehicle known then as the 1/4 ton (4x4) light reconnaissance truck or the 1/4 ton (4x4) Command Reconnaissance truck, depending on who's history you follow. The name Jeep had yet to be attached to the vehicle and also had as tumultuous a history as the argument over the original vehicle design, bids, and contract awards.

     The Willy's and Ford prototypes where tested, changes made and 1,500 each of the Bantam MK II, Willys MA, and Ford GP were produced. After several civil suits and a Congressional Hearing into the procurement process, the vehicle later to be called the "Jeep," finally came into being and is recognized as one of the most important vehicles in U.S. Military History.

1983 The Jeep was the dependable and popular workhorse of the U.S. Army vehicle fleet from February 1941 through March 1983 when it was finally replaced by the HMMWV or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles.