But he was eventually talent-spotted by Lord Browne, and became one of hisTurtles (a name Browne gave to his inner circle of high fliers) - a reference to the fearsome cartoon warriors, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In South Carolina author Pat Conroy's semi-autobiographical novel "The Great Santini, " a fighter-pilot father squishes turtles during a late-night drive when he thinks his wife and kids are asleep.