Private Perkins was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by an enemy missile in North Korea on 12 February 1951 and died of those wounds on 8 March 1951.

Perkins was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's 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.