World War II Honoree

Earl N. Akers

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Army September 4, 1940 at Lafayette, Louisiana. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he attended the Flight Aviation Training Program. Following the completion of this training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands, Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations. Served as a member of the U.S. Far East Fifth Air Force, and stationed at Clark Airfield, Luzon Island. Assigned to the 17th Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group a Branch of the V-Bomber Command. His unit participated in the Battle of the Philippines, the conquest of the Philippine Islands by the Imperial Japanese Army and Naval Forces (Battle Dates: December 8, 1941-May 6, 1942). Captured on 9 April in the Battle of Bataan, while retreating to the Bataan Peninsula. As a prisoner, his captors subjected him to participate in the Bataan Death March, incarcerated in the Prisoner of War Camp #10 Batanges, Luzon Island. On October 11, 1944 he boarded the Japanese ‘Hell Ship’ Arisan Maru, destined for Japan. Reported Missing in Action, lost at sea Tuesday, October 24, 1944 when the transport was torpedoed and sunk by a U.S. Submarine. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.