▁to ▁undert ake ▁any ▁further ▁combat ▁flying . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Gru pp enk om mande ur ▁of ▁II ./ J G ▁ 2 ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁until ▁ 2 8 ▁February . ▁Mat oni ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁Walter ▁Mat oni ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁ 3 4 ▁vict ories ▁in ▁over ▁ 4 0 0 ▁miss ions . ▁He ▁recorded ▁three ▁vict ories ▁over ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front , ▁and ▁of ▁ 3 1 ▁vict ories ▁claimed ▁over ▁the ▁Western ▁Front , ▁ 1 4 ▁were ▁four - engine ▁bom bers . ▁ ▁He ▁ended ▁the ▁war ▁at ▁the ▁F ighter ▁Pil ot ' s ▁rest - home ▁at ▁Bad ▁Wies see . ▁Mat oni ▁died ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁in ▁Frankfurt . ▁ ▁Just ▁three ▁years ▁before ▁his ▁death , ▁Mat oni ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁television ▁show ▁This ▁Is ▁Your ▁Life ▁on ▁the ▁ 8 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁ 4 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁capit ulation . ▁He ▁was ▁guest ▁on ▁the ▁John nie ▁Johnson ▁episode , ▁celebr ating ▁the ▁R AF ▁ace ' ▁life . ▁Mat oni ' s ▁presence ▁ow ed ▁to ▁a ▁British ▁media - created ▁legend ▁that ▁Johnson ▁personally ▁challeng ed ▁the ▁German ▁to ▁a ▁du el ▁over ▁Norm andy . ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁Flug zeug