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The Air Rifle Platoon

THE ARP TAB IS IN AN ARC LIKE A RANGER OR AIRBORNE TAB AND IT IS MADE FROM GREEN OR OD CLOTH WITH DARK BLUE LETTERS "ARP" AND A DARK BLUE BORDER. WHEN THE ARMY WENT TO SUBDUED PATCHES THE BORDER AND LETTERS BECAME BLACK AND THE 4TH CAV PATCH WAS SUBDUED BUT THE ARP PATCH, AN UPSIDE DOWN TRIANGLE WITH A JUNGLE BOOT WITH ROTARY WINGS ON TOP, WAS NOT SUBDUED IN OUR UNIT THE BIG RED ONE PATCH WAS NEVER SUBDUED EITHER.

WHAT IS COPIED IN THE WEBSITE IS CALLED A "FREBUS" THE NAME MEANS NOTHING THAT I KNOW OF BUT IT WAS CALLED THAT BY THEN LT. BOB HARRIS WHEN HE PRESENTED MINE TO ME IN THE FIRST PART OF 1969. THERE IS MUCH LEGEND THAT ACCOMPANIES THE FREBUS, THE KIT CARSON SCOUTS SAID, "VC NO CROCADOU (EXCUSE MY VIETNAMESE SPELLING)" IF YOU ARE WEARING THIS AMULET IT SEEMS THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE KILLED BY THE VIET CONG. I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE BUT IT WORKED FOR ME, SO ALL WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT WAS FRIENDLY FIRE, AND NVA.

UNTIL I READ THE NOTE ON THE WEBSITE I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE MATERIAL FOR THE FREBUS WAS MADE OUT OF (PHENOLIC 1/8") BUT I DO REMEMBER WHERE IT CAME FROM. THERE WAS AN EXPLOSIVES KIT USED BY THE COMBAT ENGINEERS THAT THE FREBUS CAME IN. THE EXPLOSIVES WERE C-4 AND WERE THE OLDER STYLE ONE POUND BLOCKS THAT WERE SURROUNDED BY CLEAR HEAVY PLASTIC WITH HARD PLASTIC ENDS. THE ENDS HAD PRE-MARKED HOLES THAT WERE PUNCHED OUT WITH WHAT WE CALLED THE FREBUS IN ORDER TO INSERT THE BLASTING CAP. THE MATERIAL IS A NON-CONDUCTOR AND THE PLASTIC WAS COVERING THE C-4 BECAUSE THE FISH LIKED TO EAT C-4 IN THE NAVAL UNDERWATER APPLICATIONS. LATER C-4 CAME IN THE QUARTER POUND STICKS WRAPPED IN A SARAN WRAP TYPE OF MATERIAL WITH A PEEL OFF ADHESIVE ON THE BACK SO THE FREBUS' BECAME IN SHORT SUPPLY.

THE SECOND PART OF THE FREBUS ASSEMBLY WAS THE NYLON CORD. THE CORD WAS FROM A STANDARD ISSUE ARMY AVIATION SURVIVAL KNIFE SCABBARD AND WAS USED TO TIE THE SCABBARD TO YOUR LEG OR YOUR WEB GEAR. THE THIRD PART OF THE ASSEMBLY WAS THE METHOD OF TYING THE CORD TO THE FREBUS.
THIS PART IS A LITTLE FUZZY TO ME, IT INVOLVED A SQUARE KNOT AND A SURGEON'S KNOT (I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER SQUARE KNOT WITH A HALF HITCH ON EACH SIDE. FINALLY, THE FREBUS WAS TIED AROUND YOUR NECK FAIRLY TIGHTLY WITH THE SHORTER POINT UP AND BOTH POINTS AWAY FROM THE NECK. YOU WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO REMOVE IT UNTIL YOU LEFT COUNTRY.