Memorial Plans Underway for Murrieta Army Sgt. Killed in Afghanistan

Plans to officially lay a Murrieta soldier killed July 23 in Afghanistan to rest are underway.

A memorial service for Sgt. Eric E. Williams will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 4 at , 34570 Monte Vista Drive in Wildomar, his mother confirmed.

Williams, 27, is survived by his parents, Bruce and Janet Williams, and his wife, Wendi.

He was a 2002 graduate of , where he ran track and cross-country and was the president of Fire Explorers, the Murrieta Valley Unified School District said in an emailed statement.

The motto he wrote in his senior yearbook was “Do good things.” 

Willams went on to become a paramedic, and worked for American Medical Response before enlisting in the Army in 2007 where he served as a combat flight medic.

He chronicled many of his deployment experiences in a blog titled,"My Friend The Medic."

Eric had been married for about a year to his wife, Wendi, who graduated from Murrieta Valley Adult School in June, according to the statement from the school district.

Adult School Coordinator Tom Petrich shared that Wendi brought Eric by the office to introduce him to the staff when he was home on leave.

"He was a special man. He was very respectful and we thanked him for his service at that time," Petrich said.

from his duty station in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan to re-deploy to the United States when he his operating base came under fire, the U.S. Army said in a statement.

He was a paratrooper assigned to Company C, 3-82 General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division.

"...Indirect enemy fire came in his tent causing his death," said Staff Sgt. Jill People, spokesperson for Ft. Bragg.

Williams' mother returned Thursday from a trip to Dover, Del. to recover her son's remains.

American flags were placed on the lawn of the Williams' Murrieta home.

A sign hung near the front door of the residence. It said, "We will miss your our Hero Eric!" It was painted in red, white and blue.