The body of Army Sgt. Matthew Ingram was returned to Mississippi Friday morning.

His flag-draped coffin was flown in to Meridian's Key Field. It met by Ingram's family, the Patriot Guard Riders, and military personnel who stood at attention and saluted as the casket was taken to a waiting hearse.

An Honor Guard consisting of seven soldiers took the lead once the jet with his remains landed, and Ingram's wife and mother were individually escorted to pay their respects.

Ingram will be eulogized in a 2 p.m. funeral ceremony Saturday at Antioch Christian Church on Highway 503, three miles south of Hickory, Miss.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

Ingram died last week while serving in Afghanistan. The Department of Defense said he died from wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. The blast occurred while his unit was under small-arms fire from enemy forces.

Ingram was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.