2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁As ▁the ▁war ▁progress ed , ▁he ▁accum ulated ▁further ▁vict ories ▁and ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁squad ron ▁leader ▁and ▁group ▁commander . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁for ▁reaching ▁ 4 2 ▁aer ial ▁vict ories . ▁ ▁Sch n au fer ▁achieved ▁his ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁aer ial ▁victory ▁on ▁ 9 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Diam onds ▁to ▁his ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁and ▁S words ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁October . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Gesch w ader kom mod ore ▁( wing ▁commander ) ▁of ▁Nach t j ag d gesch w ader ▁ 4 ▁( N J G   4 ) ▁on ▁ 4 ▁November . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁host ilities , ▁Sch n au fer ' s ▁night - fig h ter ▁crew ▁held ▁the ▁unique ▁distinction ▁that ▁every ▁member — radio ▁operator ▁and ▁air ▁gun ner — was ▁decor ated ▁with ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross . ▁Sch n au fer ▁was ▁taken ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war ▁by ▁British ▁forces ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁After ▁his ▁release ▁a ▁year ▁later , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁his ▁home ▁town ▁and ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁family ▁wine ▁business . ▁He ▁sust ained ▁inj uries ▁in ▁a ▁road ▁accident ▁on ▁ 1