Airman First Class Padgett was a member of the 8th Station Medical Squadron, 6127th Air Terminal Group, 8th Fighter Wing. On 5 January 1951, he was moving supplies from Kimpo Air Force Base, South Korea in a jeep, when it went down a ravine killing him instantly.

Padgett was awarded 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.