 On 5 October gained his 41st combat victory on his way to overtake his two closest rivals, "Major "Adolf Galland and "Oberstleutnant" Mölders.The 41st victory earned him his second reference in the "Wehrmachtbericht" on 6 October 1940.He also became the fourth member of the armed forces to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ().