s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves , ▁S words ▁and ▁Diam onds , ▁Germany ' s ▁highest ▁military ▁decor ation ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁nick named ▁" The ▁Spo ok ▁of ▁St . ▁Tr ond ", ▁from ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁his ▁unit ' s ▁base ▁in ▁occupied ▁Belg ium . ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Cal w , ▁Sch n au fer ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁We imar ▁Republic ▁and ▁Naz i ▁Germany . ▁Al ready ▁a ▁gl ider ▁pilot ▁at ▁school , ▁he ▁began ▁military ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁We hr macht ▁by ▁joining ▁the ▁Luft wa ffe ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁After ▁training ▁at ▁various ▁pilot ▁and ▁f ighter - p il ot ▁schools , ▁he ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁Nach t j ag d gesch w ader ▁ 1 ▁( N J G   1 — 1 st ▁Night ▁F ighter ▁Wing ), ▁operating ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front , ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁He ▁fle w ▁his ▁first ▁combat ▁sort ies ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁Operation ▁Cer ber us , ▁the ▁break out ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁ships ▁, ▁, ▁and ▁ ▁from ▁Br est . ▁Sch n au fer ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Def ence ▁of ▁the ▁Reich ▁campaign ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁on wards , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁would ▁achieve ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁success . ▁He ▁claimed ▁his ▁first ▁aer ial ▁victory ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 1 /