[Smokin' Joe]

Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, Germany's highest scoring World War One ace, lost 3 aircraft...

So how many enemy aircraft did McCain shoot down?

[Polybius]

Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, Germany's highest scoring World War One ace, lost 3 aircraft...

So how many enemy aircraft did McCain shoot down?

Just as many as the number of heavily defended ground targets that Manfred von Richthofen bombed.

John McCain flew in Attack Squadrons.

You do know the difference between an Attack Squadron (VA) and a Fighter Squadron (VF), don't you?

This is the type of fighting that McCain did in his squadron, VA-163:

Several citations mention his achievements either as a prisoner or as a lieutenant commander flying BOMBING runs off the deck of the USS Oriskany. .... The citations refer to his "accurate ordnance delivery" and his "aggressive and skillful airmanship." He earned his Bronze Star the day before he was shot down, for participating in a mission over an airfield in Phuc Yen, 11 miles north of Hanoi. ..... The citation for his Distinguished Flying Cross sums up McCain's misfortune the following day: .... "Although his aircraft was severely damaged, he continued his bomb delivery pass and released his bombs on the target. When the aircraft would not recover from the dive, Commander McCain was forced to eject over the target."

Here are some visual aids for you:

Fokker Dr.I fighter aircraft (designed to shoot down enemy aircraft):

A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft (designed to drop bombs on enemy ground or surface targets):