Sgt. Cade D. Pendergraft, 24, died of his injuries after falling down a steep ravine while hiking the 52 Tunnels World War I site on Monte Pasubio. The Army plans to honor him in an upcoming memorial service.
Pendergraft was an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy who "utilized every available moment to better understand the world he lived in," Lt. Col. Derek Noel, commander, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment said in a statement.
"The entire battalion is incredibly saddened to lose such an amazing paratrooper, NCO and young adult," Noel said.
Rescue and recovery services from the Schio Mountain Rescue who responded to the accident pronounced Pendergraft deceased soon after recovery despite providing expert assistance. Pendergraft began his journey back to the U.S. in a dignified transfer shortly after.
While his remains have already left Italy, the U.S. Army Garrison Italy plans to honor Pendergraft in a memorial the details of which have not yet been announced.
"We will remember and honor Cade as an ideal example of a warrior, scholar and leader," Noel said.
Pendergraft was from Fontana, California and joined the Army in 2015. His awards 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.
Pendergraft's death comes weeks after the body of another hiking soldier was found near Fort Riley. The body of Warrant Officer Nicole Grothe, 38, was found on July 22 in an area her commander said she loved to hike. Like Pendergraft's death, Grothe's is still being investigated -- no foul play is suspected.
Meanwhile, the search for Marine First Lt. Matthew Kraft continues. Kraft was cross-country hiking the Sierra Nevada mountains when he went missing in March 2019. A graduate of the Marine Corps mountain warfare course, his family long held out hope that he would be found alive. Now, the search for his remains is suspended and won't resume until the summer after the snow melts.
"He was a career designate for the Marine Corps — he planned on making it his lifelong career. They posthumously promoted him to captain because they thought so much of him," Kraft's father Greg said. "Matt was doing what he loved, preparing for deployment, and conditioning himself to be a better Marine."
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