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Two Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers were killed and three were wounded Saturday in Syria by a gunman with suspected ties to the Islamic State.
A civilian interpreter was also killed in the attack. “The gunman was engaged and killed,” according to a U.S. Central Command report.
An Iowa Guard press release on Monday identified the fallen Guardsmen as Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa.
“Our focus now is providing unwavering support to their families through this unimaginable time and ensuring the legacy of these two heroes is never forgotten,” Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, the adjutant general of Iowa, said in the release.
Also on Monday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff effectively immediately until sunset on the “final day of interment” for Howard and Torres-Tovar.
The names of the wounded Guardsmen were not released in accordance with Pentagon policy.
Two of the wounded required medical evacuation for further treatment and are in stable condition, per the release. The third Soldier was treated in Syria and is in good condition.
At least two Syrian soldiers were wounded in the attack, according to reports.
All the U.S. Soldiers involved were members of 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Squadron, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division.
The brigade is deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. military effort to advise, assist and enable partner forces to eliminate what remains of ISIS.
President Donald Trump on Saturday promised to retaliate in a “very serious” way, while War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the U.S. military will avenge the killed Americans “with overwhelming force.”
“Their memory will live on through their families, their fellow warriors still serving our country, and in my unwavering commitment to our warfighters around the globe,” Hegseth said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.
Some family members of the fallen Guardsmen took to social media to honor their loved ones even before their names were officially released.
In a Facebook post Sunday, Jeffrey Bunn, the police chief of a small Iowa community and Howard’s stepfather, said the 11-year Guardsman was “a dedicated soldier through and through. He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out.”
Among the members of the Iowa congressional delegation sharing condolences was Sen. Chuck Grassley, Senate president pro tempore.
“The loss of these lives is an unfortunate reminder of the dangers of terrorism that are ever present,” Grassley said.
Iowa had not lost a Guardsman in combat since July 2011 in Afghanistan.
—By John Goheen
