 Nowotny was promoted to Hauptmann on 21 September 1943 , effective as of 1 October , following his 225th victory . On 14 October 1943 , he became the first pilot to reach 250 victories , following his 442 combat missions . Nowotny was celebrating this feat in the Ria Bar in Vilna when he received a phone call from Hitler himself , announcing that he had been awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub , Schwertern und Brillanten ( Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves , Swords and Diamonds ) , making him the eighth of 27 men to be so honored . 
