US Wood 1944 Entrenchment Shovel question

Can someone tell me how many of these shovels were made?

Here are a few pictures of my piece:

 

I don't know the exact figure, but considering every soldier had one , there were millions. Many European armies have used the gigantic surplusses until the 1970s . I have pictures of the Dutch , Belgians and French who had them afte rthe war. Yours is a nice 1944 made model. Too bad it was repainted. I'd have left it as such with a little polish to protect it from rusting .

 

I didn't know they were used after the war. Thanks for the info.

 

Fench paratroopers in Indochina , 1954







French use in Algeria

 

a 'necessity' in battle...appears to be a very durable, simple field tool.....no wonder they used them for so long...Dien Bien Phu was a world where entrenching was essential, to both sides....the humans have always burrowed like animals, in war....therefore, the need for the tool