Claim: Pyotr Pokryshev scored his first and only aerial victory in the first month of the invasion.
Evidence: Within the first month of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Pokryshev scored his first aerial victory - a shared shootdown of a He 111. It was the only aerial victory he scored during the war while flying the I-16. In December, Pokryshev gained his first aerial victory while flying the P-40 when he shot down a Bf 109. Throughout the first half of 1942 he rapidly increased his tally of victories, and on 10 July 1942 he was nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union for flying 211 missions and scoring several solo shootdowns, which was awarded on 10 February 1943.