 Home / TME-31 Barracks Life / 1979-83 VMFP-3
) TME-31 Barracks LifeBy Marc "Devil Dog Of The Web" Iseli / Updated Dec. 2025 After the usual late-night FUBAR getting to MCAS El Toro, I got dumped in the TME barracks, open squad bay, second floor, right by the side door, where every Jarhead leaving the building 24/7 slams open the door to a screeching closing thud. My roommates LCpl. Gardner M. Williams, who kept to himself, and John Sullivan , who was basically a Tasmanian Devil in Marine cammies. Sullivan was a Steelers fanatic, lived on snuff, and thought surprise wrestling matches were a great way to bond. You never knew when he’d try to body-slam you just for fun. I also met and made friends with a Marine named LCpl. Mark E. Castello. I had my boot camp book with me and had him sign it, but didn’t expect a whole message, but apparently that’s a thing. We hung out for a few days before he vanished, because making friends in the military is basically speed dating with a moving truck. After that, it was just me and Sullivan, were I spent a few hours a day in fuel cell classes, the rest of the time learning how not to break jets as a plane captain trainee with VMFP-3. We watched the 1979 Super Bowl in our little cube. Then Sullivan got sent to Tustin and disappeared too. Standard issue. Visit My Photo Album Photos of TME barracks life. 
Original Orders Joint Reception Center Check In, PDF 0230 29 Oct. 1979 Assigned My MOS, PDF Graduation From TME, Assigned Permanent Duty With VMFP-3 I remember very clearly that day, it was raining hard, no flights scheduled and you can see the ink on my orders are runny. Fuel Cell School & Graduation
Above left photo taken following completion of Fuel Cell Class. Standing left to right, Pvt. Marc "Ralph" Iseli, Pfc. Dean Akkerman and Sgt. R. Bateman. Kneeling left to right, Pfc. Michael Grower, Pfc. Michael Matelski and Pvt. Randy Newman. The photo on the right is our Fuel Systems teacher. Sorry I forgot his name and rank.
Notable Events Iran Hostage Crisis Begins 04 November, 1979 Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage after a group of Iranian students took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Nuclear False Alarm 09 November, 1979 Nuclear false alarm: the NORAD computers and the Alternate National Military Command Center in Fort Ritchie, Maryland detected purported massive Soviet nuclear strike. After reviewing the raw data from satellites and checking the early warning radars, the alert was cancelled
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 Return To The Home Page  |
)
)
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
2025-26 VMFP-3 80s Flashback Web Site Trademark of Phabulous Phantom Productions; All rights reserved.