Kirk von Ackermann | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1966 |
| Disappeared | October 9, 2003 Iraq |
| Status | Presumed dead |
| Died | October 9, 2003 (aged 37)[1] Iraq |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Intelligence officer |
| Spouse | Megan von Ackermann |
| Children | 3 |
Kirk von Ackermann (c. 1966 – 9 October 2003) was an Americancontractor who disappeared in Iraq in 2003.[2] His family was given a "presumption of death of a citizen abroad" certificate three years later. He has not been officially declared dead.[1]
Von Ackermann was an intelligence officer in theUnited States Air Force, and had previously served as aRussian linguist in the United States Army. Among his roles in the Air Force was that of "former Deputy Director of Intelligence forNATO operations inKosovo in 1999, where he had been decorated for operations behind enemy lines."[3]
He was employed by Ultra Services ofIstanbul, Turkey when he disappeared inIraq on October 9, 2003. His car was found empty on a road betweenKirkuk andTikrit, with his equipment and $40,000 still inside.[4][5] He had called a colleague,Ryan G. Manelick, a short while earlier to say that he had a flat tire and needed a jack.[3] On December 14, 2003, Ryan G. Manelick was gunned down just after leavingCamp Anaconda. The Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU) atU.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (USACIDC) is investigating.[3]
The CID have not given a firm conclusion on when or where von Ackermann may have died, although these is a presumption that it may have happened on October 9, 2003, in a botched kidnapping attempt. They still, however, refuse to give out information on his case which is still "active." Von Ackermann's body was never found.[6]
TheDefense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists Von Ackermann as one of five remaining missing servicemen orDOD contractors since the onset ofOperation Desert Storm.[7]
Before going to Iraq, Von Ackermann was a manager atSiebel Systems, a business software company inSan Mateo, California, and living inMoss Beach, California.[8] He is survived by his wife, Megan, and three children.[3][9]