The M1 Carbine was issued to squad leaders and officers as a lighter weapon along with the M1911. Smaller and lighter weapons were necessary for leaders, tankers, airborne, vehicle drivers etc. If you have a M1 Carbine made by the Rock-Ola juke box company in excellent condition, they are rare and sought by collectors.
They were also issued to Paratroopers. In both “War Baby and “War Baby comes home” you will see few pictures of Garands in the Pacific in the later war years - not just to officers and squad leaders.
The best M1 I have is a fully-correct Inland Paratrooper M1 seconded by a complete Winchester carbine with high-wood and I-hole stock. Both are top of the line...