 The Marine Corps received its first F @-@ 4Bs in June 1962 , with the " Black Knights " of VMFA @-@ 314 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro , California becoming the first operational squadron . Marine Phantoms from VMFA @-@ 531 ' Gray Ghosts ' were assigned to Da Nang airbase on South Vietnam 's northeast coast on 10 May 1965 and were initially assigned to provide air defense for the USMC . They soon began close air support missions ( CAS ) and VMFA @-@ 314 ' Black Knights ' , VMFA @-@ 323 ' Death Rattlers ' , and VMFA @-@ 542 ' Bengals ' soon arrived at the primitive airfield . Marine F @-@ 4 pilots claimed three enemy MiGs ( two while on exchange duty with the USAF ) at the cost of 75 aircraft lost in combat , mostly to ground fire , and four in accidents . VMCJ @-@ 1 Golden Hawks ( now VMAQ @-@ 1 and VMAQ @-@ 4 which has the old RM <unk> ) flew the first RF @-@ 4B photo recon mission on 3 November 1966 from Da Nang and remained there until 1970 with no RF @-@ 4B losses and one damaged by AAA . VMCJ @-@ 2 and VMCJ @-@ 3 ( now VMAQ @-@ 3 ) provided aircraft for VMCJ @-@ 1 in Da Nang and <unk> @-@ 3 was formed in 1975 at MCAS El Toro , CA consolidating all USMC RF @-@ 4 @-@ Bs in one unit that became known as " The Eyes of the Corps . " <unk> @-@ 3 disestablished in August 1990 after the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System was introduced for the F / A @-@ 18 Hornet . The F @-@ 4 continued to equip fighter @-@ attack squadrons in both Marine Corps active and reserve units throughout the 1960s , 1970s and 1980s and into the early 1990s . In the early 1980s , these squadrons began to transition to the F / A @-@ 18 Hornet , starting with the same squadron that introduced the F @-@ 4 to the Marine Corps , VMFA @-@ 314 at MCAS El Toro , California . On 18 January 1992 , the last Marine Corps Phantom , an F @-@ 4S in the Marine Corps Reserve , was retired by the " Cowboys " of VMFA @-@ 112 , after which the squadron was re @-@ equipped with F / A @-@ 18 Hornets . 
