Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in Syria being prepared for their final resting place

News

December 17th, 2025 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – President Trump, Governor Reynolds and five members of Iowa’s congressional delegation were part of a silent, somber tribute today (Thursday) to the two Iowa National Guard sergeants who were killed last Saturday in Syria.

Twenty-nine-year-old Nate Howard of Marshalltown, 25-year-old Edgar Torres-Tovar of Des Moines and a civilian interpreter from Michigan were killed by an ISIS gunman who tried to ambush a meeting of U-S and Syrian forces. Their caskets were draped in American flags and carried off a plane to a vehicle on the tarmac at Dover Air Force base, then transferred to the Air Force mortuary where they will be prepared for their final resting place.

The Iowa National Guard says throughout their journey home, Howard and Torres-Tovar are being escorted by fellow Iowa National Guard soldiers.

Governor Reynolds, U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst and U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra joined a line of military officials and President Trump who saluted as the caskets were carried off the plane. Ernst and Nunn are both former members of the Iowa National Guard.