you will see a lot of personnel with 03A3s, so there were a lot of guys who run what they brung. My ex father in law was an officer in the Red Ball Express. He was issued a new carbine and it was stolen out of his truck within a few days. He just did without for the duration. He said the carbines were a hot item, everyone wanted one. Why not? If you were anywhere but up in some hole across from the Germans, who wouldn't?