These pics featuring the newly designed jeep appeared in the December 05, 1941, issue of the Ithaca Journal, two days before Pearl Harbor. I feel bad for those women having work the line in a dress and high heels.
The blurb below states:
THE JEEP TAKES ITS PLACE IN ARMY AND IN DICTIONARY: Officially designated as “quarter-ton four-by-four trucks,” but known to the U.S. Army as jeeps, the fast little scout cars, being turned out by thousands to serve as liaison between advanced mechanized units and infantry follow-ups, now are recognized as among the most important contributions of modern American assembly-line methods to the service. Powered with a 63-horsepower, four-cylinder engines, the jeep has a four-wheel drive, can carry three men and a machine gun, and can tow a heavy-calibre anti-tank gun. The pictures, illustration jeep production and testing, were made at the Willys-Overland plant in Toledo, Ohio. Left (in our case top): Women employees at work on a jeep assembly line. In the rear is an assembly line of civilian cars. Center: The cars being tested on the proving-ground. At right (in our case at the bottom): Negotiating an open field choke with heavy brush.
The women are in dresses and high heels assembling those Jeeps…..classic….
I noticed they are all thin and not wearing mask.
Great share, I just got my 1941 slat grill keep. It was built 12/17/1941, 10 days after Pearl Harbor attack. Glad to keep this article and photos in my scrap book. Not sure if I can share a photo here?
Hi Naik,
You can send photo(s) to me at D@deilers.com and I will post. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
– Dave