First Lieutenant Pitchford was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter with the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group. On 28 September 1950, while on a combat mission, he was attacked by an enemy Yak aircraft. His aircraft's engine began to smoke and it went into a spin. He bailed out at low altitude 10 miles northwest of Waegwan, Korea. His remains were recovered.

Pitchford was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.