Yes and they were issue...there was the Mod 13 Aircrew that was unsuccessful in design and others martial marked. It's pretty well documented that revolvers were issued as a "Substitute standard". We issued the M&P in caliber .38 S&W with five inch bbl. Not so many Hi Powers as one would think. Lots of guys ended up with revolvers, onw acquaintance crossed the Senio river under heavy fire with one...
My point being it wasn't isolated to just the UKissuing something antique...