When, on 18 May 1945, the destroyer USS Longshaw DD-559 ran aground on a reef 1.0 nautical miles off the coast of Okinawa and came under fire from Japanese artillery on the island, Picking attempted to pull Longshaw off the reef under Japanese fire and, failing in that, stood by Longshaw, returning fire against the Japanese guns and defending Longshaw until Longshaw's crew was forced to abandon ship.