The crash was one of three early in McCain's aviation career in which his flying skills and judgment were faulted or questioned by Navy officials. The inferno on the Forrestal that killed 134 people, wounded many more and nearly wrecked the aircraft carrier, haunted him more than getting blown out of the sky.  "To be honest with you, the Forrestal fire seems to be a more impactful date I remember more than that of when I was shot down," McCain said at the time.  Three months later he was shot down and a POW.  Can someone tell me where is the record of him actually engaging the enemy and killing them other than all the reports of him destroying our men and equipment?