▁He ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁P ens ac ola ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁flight ▁instruct or . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁From ▁February ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Lieutenant ▁Winter s ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁se ap lane ▁tender ▁USS ▁Mat ag ord a . ▁After wards , ▁he ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁Fight ing ▁Squadron ▁ 9 ▁( VF - 9 ) ▁as ▁the ▁executive ▁officer ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁USS ▁R anger . ▁ ▁North ▁Africa ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ▁Winter s ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁Operation ▁Tor ch ▁in ▁French ▁Mor oc co . ▁In ▁one ▁day , ▁he ▁led ▁three ▁combat ▁miss ions , ▁destroy ing ▁ 1 4 ▁V ich y ▁French ▁bom bers ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁at ▁Rab at - S ale ▁A ird rome , ▁followed ▁by ▁destroy ing ▁more ▁enemy ▁plan es ▁at ▁Port ▁Ly aut ey ▁and ▁then ▁attack ing ▁an ▁enemy ▁position ▁at ▁El ▁H ank . ▁ ▁Although ▁his ▁aircraft ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁enemy ▁fire ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁wounded , ▁Winter s ▁continued ▁to ▁lead ▁his ▁men ▁throughout ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁days ▁and ▁destroyed ▁ 2 0 ▁plan es ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁at ▁Méd i ou na ▁A ird rome . ▁He ▁then ▁bom bed ▁enemy ▁vehicles ▁at ▁Fed ala ▁and ▁then ▁attacked ▁enemy ▁destroy ers ▁in ▁Cas ab lan ca ▁Har bor . ▁For ▁his ▁actions ▁during ▁the ▁operation , ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ▁Winter s ▁was ▁awarded ▁his ▁first ▁Silver ▁Star . ▁