This story was updated at 11:00 a.m. on Dec. 16.
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Two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in an attack in Palmyra, Syria, on Saturday. The attack was believed to be carried out by a lone ISIS gunman, according to officials. Three other members of the Iowa National Guard were injured in the attack.
The Iowa National Guard identified the soldiers who were killed as Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines. According to officials, the soldiers who died and who were injured in the attack were all members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment.
“They were dedicated professionals and cherished members of our Guard family who represented the best of Iowa," Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, said in a statement Monday. "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."
The two deaths marked the first American casualties in the country since the fall of the al-Assad family’s 53-year regime last year, according to The New York Times.
Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Howard and Torres-Tovar.
"Sgt. Howard and Sgt. Torres-Tovar, served our state and nation with honor, and in doing so, gave the ultimate sacrifice," Reynolds said in a statement. "We are grateful for their service and deeply mourn their loss.”
The Iowa National Guard planned to disclose the names on Sunday evening, but it was postponed to comply with regulations from the U.S. secretary of defense, according to Iowa National Guard Public Affairs Director Jackie Schmillen.
Of the three Guard members injured, two were medically evacuated. They are in stable condition and will return to the United States.
The third soldier has been treated and has returned to duty, according to a press release Monday night. The wounded soldiers’ names will not be released, according to Department of Defense policy.
Osborn said the remains of Howard and Torres-Tovar are planned to arrive in Iowa before the end of the week.
The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. The Iowa National Guard said around 1,800 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers have been deployed to the Middle East since May 2025 as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. The aim of the U.S. mission is to "advise, assist and enable partner forces in the enduring defeat of ISIS."
At a news conference on Saturday, Osborn said the soldiers were carrying out a "key leader engagement" as part of their counterterrorism mission. Osborn said the last time an Iowa National Guard member was killed in action was in 2011 in Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that there will be "very serious retaliation" against the Islamic State in response.
"This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them," Trump wrote. "The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by the attack."
The New York Times reported the gunman, who was killed during the attack, was a member of Syria's security forces. Prior to the attack, officials had planned to fire the gunman on Sunday due to his extremist views, according to Al Jazeera.
The AP reported the gunman "stormed" a meeting between U.S. and Syrian officials who were having lunch together. AP said the gunman clashed with Syrian forces before opening fire.
Families of soldiers killed share memories
Before the names were released on Monday, Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn wrote in a Facebook post that his stepson, who went by Nate, was one of the soldiers killed. In the post, Bunn said Howard is survived by his wife, Arianna Howard and and his younger brother, staff Sgt. James Roelsgard, who’s deployed through the Iowa National Guard. Bunn said Roelsgard would be escorting Howard’s remains home.
The Meskwaki Nation released a statement extending condolences to Howard's family.
"We honor Nate’s service and sacrifice, and we hold Chief Bunn, his loved ones, and all who are grieving in our thoughts and prayers during this profoundly difficult time," the statement said.
The Times-Republican reported Howard was a 2014 Marshalltown High School graduate and previously worked in Marshalltown as a laser-engraving specialist at Emerson. The outlet also reported Howard's wife said he had been previously deployed to Kosovo in 2020.
Valerie Torres Godinez, who identified herself as a cousin of Torres-Tovar in a Facebook post, called him the "older brother [she] never had." She recalled dancing with him at her quinceañera and talking together on the porch.
"He was the first person in our family to serve our country as a first-generation solider," the post states. "I can't believe you're gone. You were so young and had so much to live for; you are a hero to so many and a hero to me."
Members of Iowa’s congressional delegation offered condolences to the families of those killed. Sen. Joni Ernst, a combat veteran who served in the Iowa National Guard, said the soldiers were carrying out a critical mission in combatting the threat of ISIS.
"This tragic attack is a reminder that freedom is not free and that every American owes an enormous debt of gratitude to our brave men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line everyday,” she said in a statement.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley also issued a statement following the attack.
“These soldiers and the civilian interpreter who was with them paid the ultimate sacrifice, and we are forever indebted to them for their service to our country," Grassley said.
Reynolds offered condolences to the families of the deceased.
“I ask that all Iowans stand united in supporting them and lifting them up in prayer during this incredibly difficult time,” Reynolds said in a statement Saturday night. “Please pray also for the fast and full recovery of our wounded soldiers.”
