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Remains of two Iowa Guard soldiers killed in Syria to return home Wednesday
Marshalltown procession planned for Sgt. Howard, with funerals and visitations scheduled for this weekend in Marshalltown and Des Moines
Dec. 23, 2025 5:06 pm, Updated: Dec. 23, 2025 6:36 pm
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The remains of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed earlier this month in an ambush attack in Syria will return to Iowa on Wednesday, with a public procession planned to honor Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard as he is brought home to Marshalltown.
The Iowa National Guard said the remains of Staff Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Staff Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, will arrive at Des Moines International Airport on Wednesday. Both soldiers were posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in recognition of their service and sacrifice.
Upon arrival, the Iowa National Guard Honor Guard will conduct an honorable transfer to ceremoniously receive the remains from the aircraft. Guard officials said the event will be private and not open to the public, out of respect for the families.
“Throughout their journey home, the soldiers have been and will continue to be escorted by fellow Iowa National Guard members,” the Guard said in a statement.
Following the arrival in Des Moines, a procession will carry Howard’s remains to his hometown of Marshalltown. According to a family update shared by Marshalltown funeral director Marty Mitchell, the military aircraft is expected to land around 1 p.m. Wednesday, with the procession departing from the Iowa Air National Guard facility in Des Moines.
The route will travel east to Fleur Drive, then north to Interstate 235, continue east through downtown Des Moines to Interstate 35 north toward Ames, and then take U.S. Highway 30 east to Marshalltown. The procession will enter the city via Center Street/Highway 14, head north to Iowa Avenue and proceed to the funeral home.
The procession will be led by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Des Moines Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Marshall and Tama county sheriff’s offices, and Meskwaki and Tama police departments.
Family members have encouraged Iowans to line the route to show support, while emphasizing that safety should be a priority.
Howard’s funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning at Marshalltown High School, with visitation beginning at 9 a.m. Full military honors will follow the service. Information on service details and arrangements are available at Mitchell Family Funeral Home website. The funeral home will record the service and will be available on their website after the ceremony concludes, according to the Guard.
Torres-Tovar will be honored with a visitation on Sunday in Des Moines, followed by funeral services and burial on Monday. Specific information on service details and arrangements are available at the Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home website.
The services are open to the public, according to the Iowa National Guard.
“The Iowa National Guard extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and fellow Soldiers of Staff Sgt. Howard and Staff Sgt. Torres-Tovar,” the Guard said in a statement Tuesday. “We are grateful for their selfless service and sacrifice in defense of our nation.”
The two soldiers were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, and were deployed as part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria.
They were killed Dec. 13 during a counterterrorism mission near Palmyra, Syria, when a lone gunman believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State opened fire on U.S. and partner forces. A U.S. civilian interpreter was also killed in the attack.
Three other Iowa National Guard members were wounded.
On Saturday, the Iowa National Guard announced that two of the injured soldiers had returned to the United States to begin the next phase of their recovery. They are in stable condition and receiving medical treatment at a dedicated military facility, with their families by their side. The third wounded soldier was treated locally in Syria and has since returned to duty, according to the Guard.
In response to the Dec. 13 attack, the U.S. military has carried out retaliatory airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria. In an operation dubbed “Operation Hawkeye Strike” — a reference to the “Hawkeye State” — U.S. and allied forces struck dozens of ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites across central Syria, using fighter jets, attack helicopters and precision munitions to target infrastructure and weapons storage sites across Syria, according to reporting from the Associated Press and CNN.
U.S. officials said more than 70 targets were hit and that the strikes were intended to disrupt ISIS capabilities and prevent future attacks, calling the campaign a direct response to the killing of American service members and the civilian interpreter. U.S. leaders framed the action not as a broader war but as a mission to eliminate threats to U.S. forces and partners in the region.
The return of the fallen soldiers comes amid an outpouring of tributes from Iowa leaders. Iowa’s congressional delegation has introduced resolutions in the U.S. House and Senate honoring Howard and Torres-Tovar for their service and sacrifice in the global fight against terrorism.
Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered flags to be lowered statewide in their honor.
The soldiers’ remains were returned to the United States during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware last week, attended by President Donald Trump, Reynolds, their families, Iowa officials and national leaders.
Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com
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