U.S. Military Mechanics may Hold the Keys to Finding Missing Contractor

Both Kirk von Ackermann and Ryan Manelick worked for Ultra Services of Istanbul, Turkey.

October 9, 2003 -- Kirk von Ackermann left a meeting at FOB Pacesetter, a small and isolated base just north of Balad, Iraq. His vehicle was found later that day abandoned in the Jabal Hamrin mountains roughly 140 miles away.

December 14, 2003 -- Ryan Manelick was killed in a drive-by shooting just after leaving a meeting at Camp Anaconda, later renamed LSA Anaconda, just south of Balad. Shortly before his murder, Manelick had alleged fraud within his company, fraud that involved US Army officers.

That's the short version of the story. The longer version, as is often the case, is much more involved.

Kirk von Ackermann

Kirk von Ackermann may be one of the most important American heroes you've never heard of. His former work as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force is so highly classified that no one outside of an elite counter terrorism task force knows the full scope of his mission. Kirk von Ackermann wrote predictive analysis on potential terrorist attacks in the U.S., which essentially foresaw the possible use of an aircraft as a bomb to strike the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, the White House, and other buildings. He also predicted the USS Cole bombing, just weeks before it happened. The small task force of which he was an important participant defended the United States of America from the asymmetric threats of modern terrorism. Kirk von Ackermann -- in deed and fact -- saved lives. He should have testified at the 9-11 Commission hearings. He didn't. And neither did any of his colleagues. As to why, perhaps history will one day be kind enough to tell us.

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