Two Iowans serving in the Army National Guard were killed over the weekend in Syria, and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on Monday ordered all flags to fly at half-staff.
Reynolds identified those killed as Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torrestovar, 25, of Grimes, Iowa.
Both were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. The two Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers were killed in an enemy attack Saturday in Syria., in which a U.S. civilian interpreter was killed and three other Guard soldiers were injured.
Reynolds said the two Iowans killed “served our state and nation with honor, and in doing so, gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
Adjutant General Stephen Osborn said the attacker was believed to be “a lone ISIS gunman.” The soldiers were “conducting a key leader engagement” as part of their counter-terrorism mission.
Osborn said “the entire Iowa National Guard grieves for this terrible loss,” and their priority is supporting the families of the fallen and wounded soldiers.
He says the last time an Iowa National Guard soldier was killed in action was in 2011 in Afghanistan.
