 Kọ itẹsiwaju fun paragirafi yii - O pari ile-iwe ni opin Oṣu Karun ọdun 1938 o si rin irin-ajo lọ si Okun Iwọ-oorun. Lẹhinna Van Stockum pari Ile-iwe Gunnery Batiri Ipilẹkeji lori ọkọ oju-omi USS Nevada ati lẹhinna darapọ mọ ikọkọ Marine lori ọkọ oju-omi ogun USS Tennessee, ti o wa ni San Pedro, California. eyiti a paṣẹ lẹhinna si New York nipasẹ Canal Panama fun ikopa ninu Iṣoro Fleet XX ati fihan asia  ni World Fair ti 1939 : ó ṣe tán. 