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Best Memories Of VMFP-3
By Marc "Devil Dog Of The Web" Iseli / Updated Dec. 2025
If I hadn’t stumbled into the Marine Corps and landed in VMFP-3, I’d probably be flipping burgers or starring in a cautionary tale somewhere. Turns out, being a plane captain is the perfect boot camp for surviving the civilian FUBAR, and I’ve somehow managed to keep my head above water ever since. Big thanks to the legends who saw potential in this knuckle-dragger, looking at you, Sgt Hotchkiss, and fair winds to Sgt Francis. The Corps was a lifetime ago, but the memories are still stuck to me like hydraulic fluid on cammies. Proud to have been a small cog in the glorious, slightly dysfunctional machine that was VMFP-3. If any of you old Rat Pack misfits want to sound off, drop your war stories in the comments, and I’ll slap them up here for all to see. Thanks for the memories, the madness, and the mayhem. Semper Fi, you magnificent Rat F*ckers.
80svmfp3@gmail.com

Sgt. Tony L. Marlow (Flight Equip.)
The time I spent there gave me some of the best memories, Stories, pictures, and friendships one could never have imagined. And for this, I'm very thankful I served my time there... We were the newest Black Sheep of the airwingers...Zap RF's Forever.....
Sgt. James Murtha ( Avionics)
Whoa, what a trip down me(mory lane. Looking at the photos of my fellow COM-NAVer's Jeff Matson and Jay Maroney sure brought back memories. Does anyone else remember the 'Photo Derby' at McClellan AFB in Sacramento, where we stole that squadron's flag? Was in P-3 from 81-88, the best 7 years of my life. ZAP-RF baby.
Cpl. Ron "Recon" Russik (Plane Captain)
After TME-31, I was ordered to VMFP-3. I must admit, at first I was heartbroken because during my TME-31 training I had heard many stories about P-3 and that "you don't want to be assigned there. Well, I must say that after my initial taste of P-3 my fears were dashed away and I think I was able to acclimate fairly well. I remember the "pink bellies," the loose nose wheels rolling out from under the birds, the late nights, the long hours, pre-oiling -Damn I still rember pre-oiling!- And how I hated it. I remember the smell of JP4/5, hydraulic fluid, engine oil, rubber, and sweat. I remember the long waits for the birds to get back from a mission, the hot fuel pits, hot brakes, and grabbing the damn chute from behind the damned hot J79 exhaust. But most of all, I remember all of you.
Sgt. Dominic Rinaldi (S-4)
P-3 for me was the best time I have had in my military career. I went from PFC to Sgt. in the S-4 Section, and I thought I would take a couple of steps backward when I got in trouble, but I was fortunate. I remember Top James, Sgt. Balderez, LtC. Gering, Capt. Miller, Capt. Hess, Capt. Consagra, Lt. McSpadden, Maj. Brown, and all the rest, too numerous to mention, who had a hand in developing me in my early years as a young marine within the unit. I consider myself extremely lucky to have known them all and to be a part of the mission. To this day, I still carry a part of them with me, if only in memory. As I now come close to ending my military career, I will always remember fondly the best of times and what VMFP-3 did for me. Semper Fidelis.
GySgt. Bob Parker (Administrator)
Hollywood would NOT touch the VMFP-3 Story for fear that the US Justice Department may come after them, along with the governments of Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Guam, and some angry cook dude at Wake Island. Best F-4 Squadron of my Marine Corps career!!! And the Best Marines I ever served with !!!
SgtMaj. Lou Porras (Plane Captain)
One of the better moments I can remember when with P-3 is Dean Ackerman and Rafael Rios falling asleep between two cows outside the "vill" at Chim Chan, Korea, because they couldn't get back through the gate.
Sgt. Joe (From Jersey) Barry (Plane Captain)
Short story that best explains how being an 18-year-old checking into the flightline occurs...First, you walk (no car)halfway across the base, hoping to catch a ride on the way to the farthest hangar on the line. You enter a beat-to-crap shack that smells of a combination of booze from hungover mechanics and MIL-L-23699. This red eyed Indian named Ack signs your check in sheet and mumbles something about going to the barracks for lunch, Sgt Francis tells him to take me with him to check in at the barracks, (the old one near the px), there's about 10 other P-3'ers (mostly F/L P/P and gse)already in Ack's room when we get to the bks and the lunch consisted of beer, herb, and rock and roll...It was like I had stumbled upon a frat party in Hell, it was the GREATEST!!!!!, we had the highest safety record, and the worst p-tests record...those were the days....hey, if any old p-3ers remember the good ole daze, e-mail me, even if it's just to say HIGH....There are too many of you out there to list that still live on in my frozen memories of my P-3 yesteryears......Semper Fi
Cpl. Kevin W. Burdeshaw (Plane Captain)
I really enjoyed my time in this squadron. I served in the flight-line division and really learned a lot about the upkeep of a very complex aircraft. I went on deployment to MCAS Iwakuni and on the USS Midway. I enjoyed all of the Marines I served with, and I very much miss the willingness to get the job done that the Marines in this squadron always had, no matter what the difficulties we faced.
Cpl. Steve Garcia (Radar Shop)
The short time I had in P-3 really left a major impact (that explains some of my problems!), and I made some really good friends while working on some of the meanest machines out there. Going to other units after the deactivation was funny... we were forever labeled as "those P-3 guys". That was cool. ZAP to all my friends!

Alright, you glorious Rat Phixers and Phlyers, if we ever survived a TAD, a Det, or a BOHICA, who haven't, and you didn’t think I was the biggest gaff off in the squadron. Got a sea story, or some grainy photos your ex didn’t set on fire, and they’re only slightly illegal? Send ‘em by email, snail mail, or safety wire it to a carrier pigeon. I collect ‘em all, just nothing that would incriminate me.
80svmfp3@gmail.com

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