Cade Duncan Pendergraft

Sgt. Cade D. Pendergraft, 24, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, died Saturday, September 19, 2020 while hiking the 52 Tunnels World War I site on Monte Pasubio.

Sgt. Pendergraft graduated from Rancho Cucamonga High School in California and joined the Army in 2015. After serving with the 1st Infantry Division and deploying to Poland for contingency operations, Pendergraft joined the 173rd Airborne in December 2018. He deployed again in support of contingency operations to Romania in 2019. He is a graduate of Army One Station Unit Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., and the Basic Leaders Course.

His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon and Parachutist Badge.

Sgt. Pendergraft was known by his friends, superiors, and fellow paratroopers as someone who took advantage of the opportunities afforded by being stationed in Italy. He traveled to the far reaches of Europe with every free moment.

"The entire battalion is incredibly saddened to lose such an amazing paratrooper, NCO and young adult," said Lt. Col. Derek Noel, commander, 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf. Regt. "Sgt. Pendergraft was special. He utilized every available moment to better understand the world he lived in. We will remember and honor Cade as an ideal example of a warrior, scholar and leader."

He is survived by his father, Stephen Pendergraft and stepmother, Ingrid Pendergraft of Simpsonville, S.C.; his mother, Christina Duncan of Fontana, Calif.; brother, Blake of Fontana, Calif., brother, Spencer, and sister, Emily both of Simpsonville, SC; paternal grandparents, Nathan and Patricia Pendergraft of Orange, Calif.; maternal grandmother, Joann Marshall of Calif.; aunts and uncles, John and Pam White, Teri and Sharon Skok, and John and Amanda Pendergraft.

Services for Sgt. Pendergraft will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Cade's honor to the Wounded Warriors Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256 or www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.