Brooklyn Democratic Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, deputy leader and chair of the Council’s Housing and Buildings Committee, on Saturday hosted a ceremony co-naming East 51st Street, between Beverly and Clarendon roads in Brooklyn, as “Private First Class Errol Milliard Way” in honor of the soldier killed in the line of duty.
Pvt. Errol “Elijah” Milliard, a Brooklyn native, of Jamaican and Guyanese parentage, was killed in combat in Afghanistan on July 4, 2013. He was 18 years old.
Milliard began active duty in the Army on October 2012 after graduating from boot camp at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.
The following February, he was deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he was assigned to the 595th Sapper Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion and 36th Engineer Brigade.
On a mission in Afghanistan, with his unit on July 4, 2013, Milliard was killed in combat.
He was posthumously promoted to private first class, and was awarded the Bronze Star medal, the Purple Heart, and the Good Conduct medal, among many others.
On July 9, 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law Intro 338, a measure that Williams sponsored, co-naming East 51st Street.
Williams was joined on Saturday at the ceremony by Milliard’s family, friends, elected officials, members of the U.S. Army Corps, civic groups, the clergy and community members.
A reception was later held at Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Brooklyn.
