Short answers, pulled from the story.
The United States Army issued the demand in July 1940. The Army required companies to build a four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle from scratch in just 49 days. Only two companies responded to this urgent request.
Freelance designer Karl Probst drafted the entire blueprint for the Bantam Reconnaissance Car. He worked for the American Bantam Car Company and completed the design in two days without pay. The prototype was so successful that the Army shared the design with Willys-Overland and Ford.
The name Jeep became official when Willys test driver Irving Hausmann drove the prototype up the steps of the United States Capitol in early 1941. The article published on the 19th of February 1941 cemented the name in the public consciousness. Willys-Overland was finally granted the registered trademark on the 1st of June 1950.
Willys-Overland launched the first Civilian Jeep, the CJ-2A, in 1945. This transition marked the shift from a military tool to a civilian icon. The company subsequently produced over 300,000 Station Wagons and Trucks to cater to suburban America.
The Jeep brand is currently owned by Stellantis. The brand has survived numerous ownership changes from Willys-Overland to Kaiser, American Motors, and Chrysler before reaching Stellantis. Today, Jeep sells 1.4 million SUVs globally with over 2,400 dealerships in the United States.