VMFP-3

Marine Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron 3
VMFP-3 insignia
Active	1 July 1975 – 30 September 1990
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Role	reconnaissance
Part of	inactive
Nickname(s)	Eyes of the Corps
tail code	RF

Marine Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron 3 (VMFP-3) was an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps active between 1975 and 1990.

Mission

Conduct aerial multisensor imagery reconnaissance, including aerial photographic, infrared, and side-looking airborne radar reconnaissance, in support of Fleet Marine Force operations.

History

VMFP-3 was activated on 1 July 1975 as part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California (USA). The squadron was deactivated on 1 July 1990 ( see ALMAR24-1990).

Photo and electronic reconnaissance had previously been conducted by three Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadrons (VMCJ-1, 2, 3) located at MCAS Iwakuni (Japan), MCAS Cherry Point, and MCAS El Toro, respectively. These squadrons (each flying RF-4Bs and EA-6As) were consolidated into two squadrons:VMAQ-2 at MCAS Cherry Point, operating all the EA-6s, and VMFP-3 operating all the RF-4Bs. Each squadron would deploy detachments to Iwakuni to fly missions previously flown by VMCJ-1.

Overseas detachments, in addition to supporting FMF operations, continued the 7th Fleet support initiated by VMCJ-1 in 1974. RF-4Bs of VMFP-3 were permanently deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41) from 1975 to 1984. A six-plane detachment operated as part of Carrier Air Wing Five, while retaining their own tail code "RF."

Two RF-4B Phantoms in flight

In 1990, Marine tactical reconnaissance was taken over by the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System, carried by McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet aircraft of Marine fighter attack squadrons (VMFA). Consequently, all RF-4Bs were retired and VMFP-3 was disbanded.

Gallery

• 
  Secondary insignia utilized by the squadron in the 1970s

See also

• United States Marine Corps Aviation
• List of decommissioned United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography

Web

• "VMFP-3 "Eyes of the Corp"" . Retrieved 22 November 2020.
• "MCAS Iwakuni Unit Deployment Program, VMFP-3 "Eyes of the Corp", August 1975 – May 1989" . Retrieved 22 November 2020.

External links

• Photo of an RF-4B Phantom II, with VMFP-3 markings, on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation
• Photo of an RF-4B Phantom II, with VMFP-3 markings, on display at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum at MCAS Miramar

These are both dead links.