Eeker (Eric C.) Palmer 'died June 24 in Germany of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by insurgents using small arms fire June 21 in Taji'

An Army soldier from Maize was killed by small arms fire in Iraq last week. Eric Palmer was better known as "Eeker" by his family and friends from high school.

After graduating from Maize in 2004, he went on to join the Army.

He was serving his time in Iraq, when on Thursday night, his family got the dreaded call. The Defense Department says the 21-year-old Specialist was wounded by small arms fire during an insurgent attack in Bayji. He was stabilized on the scene then flown to Germany and put on life support, but died over the weekend.

Palmer served with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was a member of the division's the division's 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

Survivors include his father, John Palmer, and his mother, Dena Palmer, both of Maize, and a brother, Travis Palmer, of Fort Leavenworth.

From KAKE 10