Corporal Pinkston was a member of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded while fighting the enemy in Korea on 1 November 1950. He was taken Prisoner of War the following day. He returned to military control on 20 April 1953 and was evacuated to the United States. He died of those wounds on 18 May 1953.

Pinkston was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman 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.