Season 11, Episode 9 (December 20, 1982). Teleplay by Elias Davis & David Pollock; Story by Mike Farrell, Elias Davis & David Pollock; Directed by Nell Cox.
This episode features one of Charles Winchester's most touching moments. Private Palmer (Phil Brock) is a wounded soldier who stutters, and he's mocked relentlessly by his fellow engineers and his commander, Captain Sweeney, who calls him "dumb" and "Porky." Despite having an above-average IQ, Palmer has been called stupid so many times he believes it himself and only reads comic books [1].
Winchester overhears the mockery and confronts Captain Sweeney, warning him that he'll write a detailed report of his "inhumanity" for his permanent record if he hears another unkind word. Then Winchester takes Palmer for what he says are x-rays, but it's really a ruse to have a private conversation. He tries to reassure Palmer that a speech impediment doesn't reflect intelligence, and notices Palmer reads comic books. Winchester confides that he himself reads Captain Marvel, but Palmer is smart enough to tackle real literature—like Moby Dick, which he gives Palmer as a gift (a treasured leather-bound copy).
When Palmer asks why Winchester is being so nice, he deflects and takes him back to Post Op. The episode's final scene reveals why: Winchester returns to the Swamp and listens to an audio tape from his sister Honoria—and we learn that she also stutters. The look of contentment on his face shows his connection to Palmer.
Notably, actor David Ogden Stiers (who played Winchester) stuttered throughout his childhood, adolescence, and early career. He said being an actor helped cure him: "I didn't stutter when the lines were written for me. Without lines to read was another story... I overcame it by not giving up, by continuing to play roles." Stiers explained that Winchester would never admit to acts of kindness—it was part of his "glacial exterior" character trait.