▁in ▁Spring ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁scoring ▁a ▁ 2 4 th ▁victory ▁in ▁Greece ▁( 2 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 1 ), ▁before ▁the ▁unit ▁was ▁pulled ▁out , ▁to ▁central ▁Poland ▁in ▁June , ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁Sch ell mann ▁was ▁probably ▁the ▁highest ▁profile ▁German ▁cas ual ty ▁of ▁the ▁opening ▁day ▁of ▁Operation ▁Bar bar ossa . ▁Sch ell mann ' s ▁Mess ersch mitt ▁B f ▁ 1 0 9 - E ▁was ▁ram med ▁by ▁an ▁I - 1 5 3 ▁Ch ay ka ▁pil oted ▁by ▁L t ▁K uz min ▁near ▁G rod no . ▁K uz min ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁collision ▁but ▁Sch ell mann ▁managed ▁to ▁b ail ▁out ▁over ▁Soviet ▁territory ▁but ▁was ▁never ▁seen ▁again . ▁It ▁was ▁believed ▁that ▁while ▁attempting ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁way ▁back ▁to ▁German ▁lines ▁he ▁was ▁captured ▁and ▁later ▁killed ▁by ▁NK VD ▁troops . ▁ ▁Sch ell mann ▁scored ▁ 2 5 ▁vict ories ▁in ▁ 1 5 0 ▁miss ions ▁( including ▁ 1 2 ▁over ▁Spain ), ▁and ▁was ▁post hum ously ▁promoted ▁to ▁Ober st le ut nant ▁( L ie utenant ▁Colonel ). ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁Spanish ▁Cross ▁in ▁Gold ▁with ▁S words ▁and ▁Diam onds ▁ ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁( 1 9 3 9 ) ▁ 2 nd ▁and ▁ 1 st ▁Class ▁ ▁Knight '