They were far from home when their lives were taken.
In central Syria, during a deployment in the Middle East, two Iowa National Guard soldiers were killed in an attack linked to Syrian officials. Their names were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard — young men who answered the call to serve, never expecting their story would end so soon.
Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar was just 25 years old. He was from Des Moines, Iowa — a place of familiar streets, loved ones, and a future that should have stretched decades ahead. Those who knew him remember his dedication, his quiet strength, and his willingness to step forward when duty demanded it.
Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard was 29, from Marshalltown. He was older by only a few years, but like so many in uniform, he carried responsibility beyond his age. He served with pride, knowing the risks that came with deployment, and accepting them anyway.
Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. They were deployed not for recognition, but because they believed in protecting others — including people they would never meet.
When the attack came, it didn’t just take two lives. It shattered families, silenced laughter, and left empty spaces in homes across Iowa. Parents lost sons. Friends lost brothers. Communities lost men who had chosen service over safety.
Their sacrifice will never be fully measured by rank, unit, or uniform. It lives in the quiet grief of those waiting for phone calls that never came. In folded flags. In memories replayed over and over by the people who loved them most.
They did not seek headlines. They did not seek praise.
They stood their post.
And for that, they will always be remembered.
Rest in peace, Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard.
Your service mattered. Your lives mattered. And you will not be forgotten. 🇺🇸
