, ▁ 2 0 0 8 ) ▁was ▁a ▁highly ▁decor ated ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁captain . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁flying ▁ace ▁cred ited ▁with ▁eight ▁aer ial ▁vict ories ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁two ▁Navy ▁Cross es ▁during ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁Ley te ▁G ulf ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁The odore ▁H . ▁Winter s ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁in ▁Society ▁Hill , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁Upon ▁gradu ating ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁Winter s ▁entered ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Academy ▁at ▁Ann apolis , ▁Maryland . ▁On ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁a cademy ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁an ▁en sign ▁in ▁the ▁Navy . ▁ ▁En sign ▁Winter s ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁USS ▁Pennsylvania ▁for ▁one ▁year ▁as ▁a ▁g unn ery ▁officer , ▁followed ▁by ▁one ▁year ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁USS ▁Hamilton ▁as ▁a ▁g unn ery ▁and ▁communic ations ▁officer . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁Winter s ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Station ▁P ens ac ola , ▁Florida ▁where ▁he ▁attended ▁flight ▁training . ▁The ▁following ▁June , ▁Lieutenant ▁Junior ▁Gra de ▁Winter s ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁course ▁and ▁was ▁designated ▁as ▁a ▁Naval ▁av i ator . ▁Winter s ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁VB - 5 ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁USS ▁York town ▁until ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 .