Say the word "jeep" and most people automatically think of the boxy sports vehicle whose convertible-like body makes it especially popular among younger crowds trekking to the beach.

Actually the jeep is a byproduct of World War II and the U.S. Army, and Camp Holabird, a military installation once located at Dundalk and Holabird avenues, played a vital role in its development.

While the sports utility vehicle craze has brought the civilian version of the vehicle a renewed sense of popularity, it at one time enjoyed worldwide acclaim for its part in the war effort.

Seeking an alternative to horses or bulky military trucks that often got stuck in the mud, the Army drew up specifications for a low, lightweight scout car of sorts.  Army invited 135 car manufacturers to design a vehicle that fit its specs.

American Bantam was first to deliver a prototype, a combination of standard mechanical parts, hand-made pieces and junked parts.

The military's newest toy was brought to Camp Holabird, an Army installation started in 1918 for use by the Quartermaster Mechanical Repair Unit Number 306.

With a school for mechanics and numerous shops, Camp Holabird was a perfect place for motor vehicle repair and transport. During World War I, the military installation served a key role as a transport center for vehicles being shipped overseas for the war effort.

It was a choice site for the continued development and testing of the jeep.