Graduate, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1949.

First Lieutenant Pennington was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in Korea on 11 March 1951.

For his leadership and valor, First Lieutenant Pennington was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.