Corporal Pickens was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the 74th Transportation Truck Company, 55th Transportation Truck Battalion. He was driving a truck near Wonju, South Korea when it went over a cliff severely injuring him. He died of those injuries on 7 March 1951.

Pickens was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.