This short 25 second video includes a Ford GPA driven into a stream as part of training.
“Various shots of General Douglas MacArthur watching GIs (General Infantrymen) training. The soldiers swing on ropes, drive small DUKW style jeep through river, and crossing rope bridges.”
GI = General Infantryman? I honestly always thought GI stood for Government Issue. Looking it up just now did not shed any light one this, offering other alternatives as well, such as Ground Infantry. Hmmmm
Joe .. probably best to look for early references to the term in newspapers. I haven’t researched that initialism. It sounds as confusing as the origin-of-the-jeep stories or the meaning of GPW.
– Dave