While we showed you the soft side of the Jeep with the whimsical 1960 Surrey version, the vehicle made its bones and its reputation fighting WWII. Churned out by the hundreds of thousands and representing nearly 18% of all wheeled vehicles produced during WWII, the Jeep was one of the critical elements of the Allied operation and the little bastards can be given some credit with helping to win the war. Tough as an anvil and as adaptable as a Swiss Army Knife, WWII-era Jeeps should rank high on cool factor to any gearhead worth his salt. This video is solid reinforcement of that.

Jumping, flying, floating across rivers, riding in planes, and even bring sent across rivers on overhead ropes, these were truly mechanical GIs. It’s not hard to see why so many soldiers fell in love with their Jeeps. They served all over the world, leading to advertising that stated, “The sun never sets on the mighty Jeep.”