World War II Veteran Shares Journey

Dear Stuttering Foundation,

After seeing an article for your organization in the Journal of the American Medical Association, I decided to send you this letter to hopefully help others who stutter today.

First off, I have to brag a little. Today, I no longer stutter as I once did. Giving speeches to business or classroom groups is a pleasure for me. I have been a Toastmaster president and won many speech contests!

I started off in life as a New York City youngster who could not say my own name. Kids would jeer me. I had zero friends. I got into many fights and was expelled, failing elementary school and not attending high school.

In 1943, the U.S. needed merchant sailors in the war with Japan and Germany, so at age 16, my Dad signed me into Sheepshead Bay Merchant Marine School. Dad said I might learn a trade and off I went to sea in the cold Atlantic.

Disliking icy weather, I volunteered for engine room duty. It was warm but the job required yelling information above the engine noise to the watch engineer. I found that by yelling, I didn’t stutter! No one can stutter when you yell or sing! I soon learned to fake a hearing loss and talk louder. I was so pleased to be fluent, I talked to anyone who would listen.

I studied the engines and systems and learned fast since this was my first real “school.” No stuttering and no laughing kids. I passed the required Coast Guard exams and advanced to better jobs. The war-time sea duty will always hold a special place in my memory.

In 1946, I joined the U.S. Army Air Corp and became an aircraft mechanic. I then passed exams to become a flight engineer on B29s. Because I liked to talk they made me a classroom and “hands on” flight instructor. This duty lasted for 21 years.

One week after retiring in 1967 I was hired by Douglas Aircraft Company to teach systems to airline pilots and flight engineers. Now it was all jet aircraft (DC8, DC9 and DC10), but I learned fast and became a top classroom instructor. After another 21 years, I again retired.

I took two subsequent jobs, one as a DC10 pilot instructor at Continental Airlines, and one as a certified teacher of an aviation course at the Long Beach City College. My ability to talk as a teacher, instructor, Toastmaster, and everyday person makes me feel very good. Education is never-ending. I am also a self-taught cartoonist and often go on cruise ships to entertain people with my art. I started to draw because my writing was terrible. I can “draw” in any language!

Today, I am 81 years old, retired three times, married 61 years to the same lady, and am in relatively good health except for profound hearing loss.

Stuttering can be overcome! Find your way, the sooner the better. I do hope this letter and my story serves someone some value.

Respectfully yours,
       James Walker
       Lakewood, CA