Corporal Akins was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy along "Bloody Ridge" in North Korea on 27 August 1951.

Akins was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.