Milton C. Pickens

Who was Milton C. Pickens?

Milton Chester Pickens was a Naval Ensign during World War II. Originally from Houston, Texas, Pickens was based out of the Glenview Naval Air Base.

During a training flight on May 26, 1944, Pickens lost altitude above Deerfield and circled the village's downtown while trying to regain altitude. He crashed into the garden of Stanley Antes, who was working in the garden at the time. The plane buried itself six feet into the ground and Pickens was killed. The site, at 914 Waukegan Road, is now the location of the Deerfield Public Library. A plaque commemorates Pickens's death.