I was a student nurse in a dorm. The approximate date was May 10, 1970. The nurse who inducted me was a fellow student named Mary Patt. After I became a Turtle, I inducted my father (a former Marine), my mother, my brother and my sister. From that day on I have received turtle gifts on birthdays and Christmas until my house could not handle any more. These were great memories because the only one left here with me is my sister. I never officially joined the Ancient & Honorable Order because I did not know about it and I didn’t have a computer. I did carry a card to show my membership and recruit more members. Now 49 years later I am officially here.

Andrea
5/10/1970

When I was 19 I began working in a physicians office and my co-worker and best friend Kaye introduced me to The Turtle Assoc and got me my card. I still have my original card but it has my maiden name on it, can I get a new card with my full name on it. My birthday date is coming up on the 9th of March.I became an official turtle on March 9, 1976

Johnie Maynard Radford
3/9/1976

In 1970 I enlisted into the US Army. I went to Germany and several of the soldiers I was stationed with were Turtles. On several occasions, when we had downtime, we would talk about the Turtles. They encouraged me to apply for membership. But, I was always so busy, I never did. I’m now fully retired and decided,once again, to pursue membership. I must include the fact that, while these soldiers drank a lot of alcohol, they were moral and high minded. I’ve tried to emulate those fellows. They were such good role models.

Taylor

As a young man working in the Antarctic, I would go to the OFFICER’s Club at McMurdo Station every night for movies (Mostly TV Shows via reel to reel projectors like movies). Beers were required and hanging around after the movie was almost mandatory. A traveling Consultant from Calfornia was in town to do some work for the National Science Foundation. He found the bar that night and my friend and I chatted him up because we were from CA also. After a couple of beers and pleasant conversation, this visitor pulled out his wallet and initiated us into the Turtles. I still have that card in my prized possessions collection and was delighted to find the TURTLES online.
Dan Dameron

My memory of becoming a turtle involves The Pub in Mt. Pleasant, MI while I was a student at CMU. When I pulled out my card (in 2019) after a discussion with co-workers about the Turtle Club, I saw it was dated 1983, before I was at CMU – my memory was fun, I will continue to believe that – lol. Actually, I’m an brat and probably was given it through my Dad’s fellow pilots.
Jamie
07/07/1983

The summer of 1969 during a Playboy party at the Reading Airshow, my father introduced me to the Turtle Club.

Mike
Origin Date: 04/07/1969

I was at a Masonic event when a brother approached me with another brother and he asked “Are you a turtle” to which I answered “no, but I’d like to be”. The man then pulled out his card and began asking me questions to which I answered (and not easily I might add) correctly. He then presented me with the password and a masonic turtle pin and asked me to make a small donation to a charity of my choice.

Daniel

I was surfing the net looking for other Masonic groups being I’m a freemason as well. Came across something called ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ORDER OF TURTLES, I thought it was crazy when I first seen it, so I looked into it more found out it’s history, and from there, Became A Turtle. Started my own POND, and trying to procure more turtles. I’m still very young in the ORDER but very proud to be apart of it. Also I am an AIR GUARD VET. BLOOP! BLOOP!
Vincent

My father.Chief Petty Edward Phillip DiGirolamo. Retired Navy WII. Was an Aviation Metal Smith. I lost
his turtle pin and card. I have been a turtle forever

Diana

In 1966 I moved from San Francisco to China Lake. I worked there for a year before going to CSULB to finish college. I worked for a government contractor and was assigned to the Weapon System Analysis Group at Michelson Lab. One of the members of the Group was a Turtle and procured me. Today while going through an old wallet I found my original members card dated 1/17/67 (I am now 80). The logo is different and the card shows ‘Interstellar Association of TURTLES
Outershell Division.’ It was signed by James E. Colvard as Member, with signatures Walter Schimal (?) High Potentate, Gerry Morton Low Potentate.

Robert (Bob)