Evening star., 1944-09-30
Atkins Voice of Freedom
Again May Ringin Philippines
General Who Set Up
Stotion,Thot Defied
Jops PIons to Return
BY MURLIN SPENCER,

AAeoClAteQ FEeSs war OOIIeSpONoeut.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
Maj. Gen. Spencer B. Akin was Gen
Douglas MacArthur's chief signal
ofncer in the Philippines and among
his radio stations on beleaguered
Correeidor was the Voice of Free
DOM"
Three times a day-mornlng, noon
and night-Col. Carlos P. Romule
sent out his stirring message over
the station to challenge the Japa-
nese and to let the Philippines and
the rest of the world know that Cor :
regidor and Bataan still held.
The Voice of Freedom" was one
Of Americas few weapons in the
Philippines. The Japanese knew
that, so long as that challenging
voice spoke to the world. the Philip
pines campaign could not end.
The Voice Of Freedom" held, even
after Gen. Akin and Col. Romulo
left the islands. 1t spoke until the
NipponeSe swarmed on to the Rock
itself and compelled the surrender
of its handful Of defenders.
Voice May BE Heard Again.
Gen. Akin installed one radio sta
tion to broadcast the "Voice of Free
DOM" The chances are good he will
start another-and in the Philip
pines. Because Gen. Akin is q fight
ing man. one Of the small group Of
experts who fought in the Philip
pines with Gen. Macarthur. came
out of the Philippines with him
And he is one who will 60 back.
AS chief signal officer he is an ex-
pert on communications and in
more than two and one half years
IN the Southwest Pacific he has
built up a staff of experts. He is
a professional soldier. having en-
tered the service in September, 1910,
shortly after graduation from Vir-
ginia Military Institute.
He was born in Greenville. Miss,
SIS years ago. is married and has two
daughters. His wife lives in Wash
lngton. Take him out of uniform
and he would pass for any success
full businessman. He Is only half
an inch short of feet. weighs 165
pounds and his dark black hair is
touched with gray.
1t was late in 194l when Gen.
Macarthur requested THAI Gen. Akin
be assigned to his command in the
Philippines, and when the big Clip
per plane reached the islands the
war was only 20 days away. 1t
caught Gen. Akin-and every one
else-short of men and materiel.
Equipment Was Scanty.
my personnel consisted of q COL
lection OF soldiers. marines, Navy
and merchant mariners, aviation ex-
perts, particularly radio personnel
en- route to join Gen. Chennault IS
command in China. and civilians, -
said Gen. Akin. Our equipment
consisted Of the little we had on
hand plus all We could collect in
Manila and other cities"
With this equipment. Gen. Akin
set up system of communication
not only between the front line
command posts and Gen. Mac.
Arthur's headquarters on Corregidor
but with the outside world. Despite
the Japanese command of the air
and incessant bombing attacks, they
never were able to knock out the
important radio stations. They tried
jamming the frequencies, but still
failed.
Gen. Akin set up radio stations
on Corregidor to contact Australia,
China and the United States as well
as the station which broadcast the
Voice of Freedom"
Gen Akin received the Distin-
guished Service Cross for acting as
a traffic cop on a congested forward
area crossroads in the nearest thing
to hell on earth.
A division of weary fighting men
was withdrawing into Bataan Penin-
sula and ahead of them trudged a
long line of frightened, dust-covered
reflloeaS Movipp touord thar, uro G