▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁() ▁for ▁ 4 2 ▁vict ories ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁The ▁presentation ▁was ▁made ▁by ▁General major ▁( lit . ▁Major ▁General ; ▁equivalent ▁to ▁Brig ad ier ) ▁Joseph ▁Sch mid , ▁command ing ▁general ▁of ▁the ▁I . ▁Jag dk or ps ▁( 1 st ▁F ighter ▁Corps ), ▁on ▁ 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁night ▁before ▁his ▁ 2 2 nd ▁birth day , ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Sch n au fer ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁claimed ▁aer ial ▁vict ories ▁ 4 5 ▁to ▁ 4 7 . ▁Bom ber ▁Command ▁had ▁sent ▁ 5 6 1 ▁Lanc aster s ▁and ▁ 3 1 4 ▁Hal if ax ▁four - eng ined ▁bom bers , ▁supported ▁by ▁de ▁Hav ill and ▁Mos qu ito ▁night - fig h ters ▁and ▁bom bers , ▁dest ined ▁for ▁Berlin . ▁Sch n au fer , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁suffering ▁from ▁st om ach ▁p ains ▁all ▁day , ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁returned ▁to ▁Lee u ward en ▁at ▁ 0 0 : 1 4 . ▁R ump el hardt ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁con gr at ulate ▁him ▁on ▁his ▁birth day ▁over ▁the ▁inter com . ▁Their ▁fellow ▁air men ▁had ▁prepared ▁a ▁birth day ▁celebr ation . ▁The ▁st om ach ▁p ains ▁had ▁become ▁un b ear able ▁and ▁Sch n au fer