Here at TopSpeed, we love the veteran's of our armed forces; be it from wars from decades ago or ones currently stationed in war zones across the globe, we salute you all.

Along with the brave men and women, there are also animals and automobiles that play integral roles in our armed forces. One of the original wartime automotive veterans was the 1941 Willys-Overland MB, which was informally dubbed the "Jeep."

There are a few rumors about how exactly the name "Jeep" came to be, but the most commonly accepted story is that the MB was a "General Purpose" vehicle that officials often abbreviated as "G.P.", and slurring of the abbreviation was how the name came to be -- there are also reports that the "jeep" name was used as far back as 1914.

The Willys-Overland Jeep first became available for civilian purchase, known as the CJ-2A, in 1945, and the automaker filed to trademark the "Jeep" name in 1943, but it was not granted until 1950. The CJ endured several buyouts, transfers and sales, but it only lasted a short time longer after Chrysler->ke21 bought the company in 1987.

The above video is a 1943 film name "The Autobiography of a Jeep," which highlights the how this automotive veteran helped the real veterans in WWII.

Of course, Veteran's Day is all about celebrating the brave men and women of the U.S., so we end with recognizing the men and women of the armed services for protecting us and our freedoms. Whether you are simply a reservist that has never seen a battlefield or a multi-tour veteran, the entire TopSpeed team thanks you for you service!