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<em>George E. Pickett, Sr.,</em> was born in Palestine, TX, on 26 May 1918. His parents were James, also known as JD, and Helen Pickett. JD was a lawyer in Palestine. George is predeceased by brothers Tom, who served in the U.S. Congress during 1944–52, and Bill, a prominent surgeon in Dallas. George was selected as an Outstanding Graduate of Palestine High School in 1989.</p>
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George graduated from the U.S. Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree, and his military career began 12 Jun 1939 when he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant of Signal Corps in the regular Army. His first assignment was at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, with the 1st Signal Company, 1st Infantry Division. He remained with the 1st Infantry Division throughout World War II, participating in eight campaigns in North Africa, Sicily and Europe, including D-Day landings in North Africa, Sicily and Normandy.</p>
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He returned to the U.S. in April 1946 and was assigned to the G-3 Section of Headquarters, Army Ground Forces, then lo­cated in Washington, DC, and later moved to Ft. Monroe, VA.</p>
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In June 1949, BG Pickett was transferred to the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Washington, DC where he served as Chief of the Signal Corps Career Management Branch and later as Assistant Chief of the Personnel and Training Division.</p>
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In February 1951 BG Pickett was select­ed for attendance at the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA and upon graduation in 1951 was assigned to the Strategic Logistics Branch, Plans Office, Assistant Chief of Staff G-4, Department of the Army.</p>
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In October 1952, he was transferred to the Office of the Under Secretary of the Army in the Pentagon where he remained until August 1956. During this period he served as Executive Assistant, Munitions Board; Assistant Executive Officer and finally as Executive Officer for two years.</p>
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In August 1956 he attended the National War College and, upon graduation in 1957, was assigned to the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Taiwan. During his service in Taiwan he occupied positions as Assistant Chief of Staff J-5 on the joint staff of the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command/Military Assistance Advisory Group; Chief Signal Officer; MAAG; and Signal Officer, Army Section, MAAG.</p>
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He returned from Taiwan in July 1959 and became Signal Officer of the U.S. Army Ordnance Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL.</p>
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In 1961 he was selected for and attended the Advanced Management Course at Harvard University. Upon graduation from Harvard he returned to the Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal. In September 1962 he was transferred to Eighth Army Headquarters in Korea, where he served as the Army Signal Officer.</p>
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Returning to the United States in May 1963, he was assigned to the Office of Person­nel Operations, Headquarters, Department of the Army, where he served successively as Chief, Combat Support Division, and Direc­tor of Officer Personnel until March 1965.</p>
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In March 1965, he was assigned to the Defense Communications Agency in Washington, where he remained until March 1968. During this period he served as Deputy Director, Defense Communications Systems and from December 1967 to March 1968 as Vice Director of the Agency.</p>
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In March 1968 MG Pickett assumed the duties as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications-Electronics, Headquarters, Department of the Army.</p>
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In April 1972 he was promoted to lieu­tenant general and was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Telecommunications) as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Management).</p>
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Through his military career, LTG Pickett received the following awards and decorations: Distinguished Service Medal; Silver Star; three Legions of Merit; Bronze Star for Valor; two Army Commendation Ribbons; Croix de Guerre (France); War Cross (Czechoslavakia);Fourragere (France); Fourragere (Belgium); Presidential Unit Citation; Meritorious Unit Emblem; American Defense Service Medal; European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (one Silver, three Bronze, one Arrowhead); American Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Army Occupation Medal (Germany); two National Defense Service Medals; and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He served in the fol­lowing campaigns: Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Normandy (Arrowhead); Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes Alsace; Central Europe.</p>
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In May 1974 LTG Pickett retired from the Army to become the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.</p>
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In January 1977, LTG Pickett assumed the position of Executive Vice President of the United States Independent Telephone Association, retiring in 1984.</p>
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Although LTG Pickett retired, he used his expertise and became very active in Alexandria, VA, civic affairs. He was a board member of the Seminary Hill Association; vice presi­dent and board member of the Federation of Associations; board member for the Citizens for Abatement of Aircraft Noise; and a mem­ber of the Alexandria Hospital and Services Corporation. He also ran for Alexandria City Council in 1988 and 1991.</p>
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LTG Pickett was married to Jane Stanton of Rye, NY, in 1939, and they had four chil­dren: George E. Pickett, Jr.; Jane Gray Souders (predeceased); Thomas D'Aubigne Pickett; and Sharon Pickett Mills. They had eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.</p>
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LTG Pickett died on 18 May 2008 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. A funeral service was per­formed at Fort Myer, and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. The family has requested that donations be sent to the American Heart Association in his memory.</p>