War Jeep Well Deserving of Oldest Spot in History Books

By Detroit Steel - November 5, 2015

Oldest War Jeep

There it is, the oldest surviving war Jeep known to man.

Every single part of the unrestored Jeep contains some deep historical footnote, including the obvious, which is that it was built in 1940 by Ford.

Known as the Pygmy, the World War II military vehicle was likely shipped to Europe or Japan and now calls the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville, Alabama home. But according to a Redstone Alabama report, there’s an effort underway to share the Jeep’s story with the world.

The Historic Vehicle Association from Washington, D.C. was recently at the museum gathering video and information on the Jeep. Casey Maxon, a heritage specialist for the group, said the Pygmy represents an important part of American history.

“We felt that this is the embodiment of the Jeep, one of the significant Jeeps that was built,” said Mason. “It really helps to tell that story. It’s an unrestored car, which really matters to us because it shows some of the original craftsmanship, how the prototype was created, how Ford built it, how the designs were implemented right there in 1940.”

Sure seems like a story worth telling!