A section of
RF-4Bs from
VMFP-3 ‘Eyes of
the Corps’. Both wear
USS Midway titles but
retain their ‘RF’ tail codes.
Frank B. MormilloV
MFP-3 ‘EYES OF the Corps’
was a Marine Corps tactical
reconnaissance squadron
equipped with McDonnell Douglas
RF-4B Phantom IIs. The unit had a
fairly short existence, having been
established in July 1975 at Marine Corps Air
Station El Toro, California, and deactivated in
September 1990.
Its formation came about following the
consolidation of three Marine Composite
Reconnaissance Squadrons (VMCJs) in order to
form two specialist units — VMFP-3 at El Toro
with RF-4Bs and VMAQ-2 at Cherry Point with
EA-6As, the former becoming the hub of Marine
Corps ‘tac recce’.
As VMCJ-3 stood down it immediately
evolved to form the core of the new tactical
reconnaissance squadron in July 1975. In
fact, plans were already in motion for VMFP-3
Detachment 1 to head for MCAS Iwakuni, Japan,
in August 1975 to not only provide support for
the 1st Marine Air Wing there, but to join the 7th
Fleet and deploy aboard USS Midway (CV 41). It
provided continuous reconnaissance support
from this carrier until 1984, including three Indian
Ocean deployments during the Iranian hostage
crisis. The detachment of six RF-4Bs from VMFP-3
operated as part of Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5).
The advent of the Hornet had already killed
off Marine fighter Phantoms, and the arrival of
the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance
System (ATARS), which could be retrofitted to
the F/A-18D, spelled the end for the RF-4Bs.
With heavy hearts, the proud Phantom flyers
of VMFP-3 retired the last Marine F-4s as the
squadron disbanded in September 1990.http://www.combataircraft.net // March 2018 97
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