Private First Class Akers was a Heavy Weapons Infantryman with the Heavy Mortar Company, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in the southwest area of the Pusan Perimeter near Chinju, South Korea on 18 August 1950.

Akers 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.