Lieutenant Pender was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a doctor aboard the hospital ship USS Hope (AH-7) with a triage unit. After his tour in Korea, he was assigned to the Submarine Medical Service at New London, Connecticut. He suffered a heart problem and was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Hospital, Illinois, where he died on 18 January 1952.

Pender was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, the Asia-Pacific Theater Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.