JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Family, friends and local military men and women gathered on Tuesday to honor a hero who died in Iraq.

Spc. Jeremiah C. Hughes died earlier this month in Balad, Iraq, in what the Pentagon describes as a "non-combat related incident."

Hughes, 26, had been assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. His Stryker team was stationed in Hawaii.

Hughes graduated from Sandalwood High School on the Southside in 1999 before enlisting in the Army.

On Tuesday afternoon, his service to the country was honored at NAS Jacksonville, where a casket containing Hughes' body was returned home draped with an American flag.

About 3:15 p.m., the flight touched down and a large crowd watched as Hughes' casket was taken off the plane and placed into the hearse.

Hundreds of people, including family members of Hughes and members of the military and Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, came out to honor the fallen soldier.

Director of military affairs Dan McCarthy said Jacksonville pays its respects like no other city.

"I've had some of these casualty officers come to Jacksonville as the best city in the United States for these types of things," said McCarthy. "You'll see the entire community turn out for this. The military support organizations, the retirees, the active community and the city leaders and business leaders -- everybody takes an interest in this. It's really one of the reasons we do it like this because the community really turns out for this."

Funeral arrangements for Hughes have not yet been announced.

The military has not released details about what happened but said the incident is under investigation.