In 1941 with the beginning of the war, he was evacuated to Central Asia with the personnel of the school. In November 1942 he was sent to Steppe front in 240th Air-force group (AFG). The first flight Ivan Kozhedub made on March 26, 1943 on an airplane La-5. It was unsuccessful - during the attack on a pair of FW-110 his airplane "Lavochkin" was damaged by "Messer", and then was fired by Soviet air-defense artillery. Kozhedub managed to land at the aerodrome, but the airplane was not repaired...

The following flights he made on old airplanes and only one month later he received a new 5-tank La-5 with an inscription "Named in honour of Valery Chkalov" on board and number "75" later. The whole squadron of such machines was constructed on means collected by compatriots of the great pilot Chkalov.

In May, 1944 the squadron commander Captain Kozhedub received a new La – 5FN – as a gift from the collective farmer V. Konev, who gave the money to the fund of the Red Army and asked to construct an airplane named in honour of his nephew lieutenant colonel V. Konev, lost at the front. The airplane was made and given to Kozhedub.

It was an excellent facilitated type fighter with number "14" and white inscriptions with a red edging: - "Named in honour of the Hero of the Soviet Union lieutenant colonel G. Konev" on the left side and "From the collective farmer V. Konev" on the right side.

In July, 1944 Kozhedub was appointed vice commander of 176AFG. This group, the first in the Soviet air forces in August 1944 rearmed on newest fighters of La - 7. From September 1944, on the left wing of the 1-st Byelorussian Front in Poland Ivan Kozhedub conducted battles in “free hunt " way. At first he received a three-gun fighter, and then a usual two-gun fighter. This airplane with number “27” on board, on which Ivan Kozhedub gained his last 17 victories, now is the collection of Moninskiy aviation museum.

At the end of September, 1944 by the order of commander of Air Force Marshal I. Novikov a group of pilots under Kozhedub command directed to the Baltic States for struggle with enemy’s fighters - "hunters". It had to act against a group of Aces under command of Major Helmut Vik, who gained 130 victories by German propagation. So met Soviet and German schools of fighters- "hunters". In several days of battles only our pilots brought down 12 enemy’s airplanes, having lost only two. Kozhedub gained three victories. After such a shattering defeat, German "hunters" were forced to stop active flights on his area of the front.

In winter in 1945 the group continued the intense air battles. On February 12 6 airplanes of "Lavochkin" conducted a heavy battle with 30 enemy’s fighters. Russian pilots gained a new victory in this flight – they brought down 8 airplanes of Fw.190, Kozhedub brought down 3 of them. A Russian loss was one machine (the pilot was lost).

On February 19, 1945 during the fight above the Oder, Kozhedub gained an important victory – he brought down a jet plane Me.262, in which cabin there a non-commissioned officer Kurt Lange from 1./KG (J) 54. On April 17, during his fifth flight on that day, above the capital of Germany, he gained his last victories - brought down 2 airplanes Fw.190.

By the end of the war Guards Major Kozhedub made 330 flights, conducted 120 air battles and personally brought down 62 enemy’s airplanes. On August 18, 1945 for high military skills, personal bravery and courage he was given the rank of Hero of the Soviet Union for the third time.

Kozhedub seldom returned from a flight without a victory. But being a brightly gifted and talented man, at the same time he showed great modesty. For example, he never reported about a brought down enemy’s airplane, if he did not see how it fell on the ground.

As many Russian pilots, Kozhedub never recorded airplanes brought down together with the beginners in his list of victories. There were not less than 5 such victories. Thus, the real number of the enemy’s airplanes, brought down by him is much more than officially appears in his personal list of victories.

To 62 German airplanes officially brought down by Kozhedub during the Great Domestic war, it is necessary to add 2 American fighters, brought down by him right at the end of the war. In April, 1945 defending an American B – 17 from a pair of German fighters, the fighters of the cover started firing from a large distance and attacked Kozhedub. Kozhedub promptly attacked the nearest machine. There was a smoke and it flew down towards our troops (the pilot of this machine soon jumped out with a parachute and landed safely.

Having carried out a battle turn from an inverted position Kozhedub also attacked the leader – it flew up in the air. Later he managed to see white stars on unknown machines; there were "Mustangs". It was not the only fight between the Soviet and American pilots...

After the war he served in the air forces. In 1949 he graduated from Air Force Academy. He took part in the Korean war (1950 – 1953). In 1956 he graduated from Military Academy of General Staff. From 1971 he worked in the central air force administration, from 1978 - in the Group of general inspection of Defense Ministry of the USSR. He was marshal of aviation, Deputy of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He was awarded with many orders such as Lenin Order (three times), the Red Banner Order (seven times), Alexander Nevskij Order, the Red Star Order (twice), etc. He was an author of many books.