▁Pacific ▁War ▁ ▁Winter s ▁and ▁his ▁squad ron ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁November . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁V F - 9 ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁USS ▁Es sex ▁and ▁set ▁out ▁for ▁the ▁Pacific . ▁By ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Winter s ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁commander ▁and ▁was ▁made ▁the ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁Fight ing ▁Squadron ▁ 1 9 ▁( VF - 1 9 ) ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁USS ▁Lex ington . ▁ ▁By ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁V F - 1 9 ▁and ▁other ▁squad rons ▁were ▁flying ▁combat ▁miss ions ▁over ▁the ▁Philippines ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁invasion ▁in ▁October .   ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 2 , ▁Commander ▁Winter s ▁shot ▁down ▁three ▁Japanese ▁plan es . ▁Winter s ▁claimed ▁ace ▁status ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁second ▁Silver ▁Star ▁by ▁mid - Oct ober , ▁shooting ▁down ▁three ▁more ▁enemy ▁aircraft ▁and ▁probably ▁down ing ▁a ▁fourth . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 4 , ▁during ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁Ley te ▁G ulf , ▁Commander ▁Winter s ▁led ▁his ▁squad ron ▁through ▁a ▁bar rage ▁of ▁anti - air craft ▁fire ▁to ▁inf lict ▁severe ▁damage ▁on ▁two ▁Japanese ▁batt les hips ▁and ▁four ▁cru is ers . ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁Winter s ▁continued ▁leading ▁his ▁plan es ▁through ▁bar rages ▁of ▁anti - air craft ▁fire ▁even ▁though ▁his ▁own ▁plane ▁was ▁dam aged . ▁His ▁squad ron