Images: Car Buzz

When you think of Jeeps these days, you probably think of them in two different categories. There are those used as daily drivers and then there are those used to their full potential as off-road vehicles. However, in the 1940s, Jeeps had a higher calling. They were used by American GIs throughout World War II, transporting everyone from grunts to five-star generals, delivering medical aid, and even as shields to protect soldiers against enemy fire. Now, some 70 years later, one of these military Jeeps has returned home, crossing the Atlantic and making a 1,000-mile road trip to its hometown of Toledo, Ohio. And according to Car Buzz, the whole ta-do was fitting of a war hero.

During the heat of American conflict, the military employed a number of vehicles for tactical purposes. On June 3rd, 1943, this specific 1943 Jeep Willys MB left Toledo and headed to the American Army, soon to be shipped off to Sicily for use during World War II.

After it completed its tour, the Jeep was then sold to the Italian Army and once again used for military purposes. Later on, the Jeep was then sold to a number of different owners, ending up with its current owner, Italian journalist Vittorio Argento, in 1984.

It is Argento that recently led the effort to return the Jeep to Toledo for its 70th birthday.

Once the Jeep crossed the Atlantic and landed in the United States, it toured through Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio on its 1,000-mile trek home. By June 3rd, 2013, the Jeep was back where it came from 70 years earlier, and although it was greeted by a different manufacturing plant, the owner and many Jeep enthusiasts alike agreed it ended up where it belonged, with a huge celebration.