The son of a Hellenic Coast Guard Officer, Theodoros Lymberakis entered the Hellenic Naval Academy in 1938 and, due to the ongoing war, graduated in 1940 with the rank of Warrant Officer. He served onboard Battleship “HS AVEROF” and in April of 1941, he was transferred to the Destroyer “HS HYDRA.”

After a German air assault resulted in the sinking of “HS HYDRA,” he could not follow the Fleet departure to the Middle East in April 1941. However, he was fortunate enough to do so in November 1941. During his stay in the Middle East, he finished his Academy education and training onboard “HS AVEROF” and served onboard the Destroyers “HS KOUNTOURIOTIS,” “HS KANARIS,” “HS SPETSAI” and the Corvette “HS TOMBAZIS.”

He participated in a variety of operations in India and in the Mediterranean Sea in 1943 on board “HS KANARIS” – in convoys including Operation Husky in Sicily, as well as in the United Kingdom onboard “HS TOMBAZIS” – in convoys including Operation Overlord, the famed Normandy invasion on D-DAY in 1944.
For his action during WWII, Lymberakis was awarded the Exceptional Actions Medal and the Military Cross 3rd Class. France awarded him the title Member of the Legion d’Honneur.

After the war, he served as Commanding Officer onboard various ships, as Director of Academic Issues at the Hellenic Naval Academy, as staff officer at the Hellenic Fleet Headquarters and NATO Commands and as Naval Attache in Rome, Italy. He retired with the rank of Rear Admiral in 1969.