War Veteran Gets the Surprise of a Lifetime

Local 4X4 club comes together to complete restoration of 86-year-old veteran’s Willys.

You’ve heard us say it here a dozen times, there’s nothing more moving than a good story about one of our veterans and a Jeep.

We cover them a lot here at JK Forum. In fact, we’ve probably posted more than a dozen stories tied to veterans and Jeeps over the past few months. And yet, we never grow tired of hearing another one – especially when it’s one as gripping as the story of retired Marine Jerry B. Scherer and his 1945 Willys.

You see, Scherer, who is 86, spent nearly two decades working to restore the World War II military-era Jeep, which he bought after his wife died. But then, about a year ago, health complications forced him to put the project aside. That’s when Scherer’s son, Jerry Jr., decided to reach out to the members at Magic City 4×4 Club to see if they might be willing to lend a hand, as detailed in a Billings Gazette report.

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Of course, they we’re happy to step up. And recently, about 50 members of the club got together with the younger Scherer at the Heights VFW in Billings, Montana, to surprise his dad with his fully restored Willys.

“He doesn’t smile a lot anymore,” said Jerry Jr., “and there were big smiles all the way around.”

Magic City 4×4 Club Member Vernon Ball noted that the group was eager to get involved because of Scherer’s years of military service. Ball said the best part of it all was seeing the look on the veteran’s face.

Yep, like we always say, nothing quite stirs the emotions of us here at JK Forum like a good story about a veteran and their Jeep.