President Trump will travel to Dover Air Force Base to attend a dignified transfer for two Iowa National Guard members killed in a Syrian desert attack: Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29. A U.S. civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat, was also killed. Three other Guardsmen were wounded; two are in stable condition and one is in good condition. The ceremony comes amid closer U.S.-Syria engagement and Trump's pledge of retaliation.
Trump To Attend Dover AFB Dignified Transfer For Two Iowa Guardsmen Killed In Syria
This undated combo photo created with images released by the Iowa National Guard shows Sgts. William Nathaniel Howard, left, and Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar. (Iowa National Guard via AP)
President Donald Trump will travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday to attend a dignified transfer for two Iowa National Guard members killed in an attack in the Syrian desert — an incident that has tested improving ties between Washington and Damascus.
Who Was Killed
The U.S. Army identified the two Guardsmen as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel "Nate" Howard, 29, of Marshalltown. Both served with the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. A U.S. civilian working as an interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Macomb, Michigan, was also killed.
The Dignified Transfer
The ceremony at Dover honors service members killed in action and is among the most solemn duties of the commander in chief. Transfer cases draped with the American flag are carried from the arriving military aircraft to a waiting vehicle that will transport the remains to the base mortuary for preparation of final arrangements.
Reactions And Family Tributes
The Iowa National Guard and family members have paid tribute to the fallen. Jeffrey Bunn, Howard’s stepfather and chief of the Tama, Iowa, police department, described Howard as a devoted husband and an "amazing man of faith," saying Howard "loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out." Fellow Guardsmen remembered Torres-Tovar as "very positive," family oriented and selfless.
"They were dedicated professionals and cherished members of our Guard family who represented the best of Iowa," said Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard.
Context And U.S. Response
On Saturday, Mr. Trump said he was mourning the deaths and pledged retaliation. He has publicly welcomed interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House in recent weeks as part of an effort to integrate Syria into the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State. Speaking in the Oval Office, the president said, "This had nothing to do with him. This had to do with ISIS."
Injuries And Additional Details
Three other members of the Iowa National Guard were wounded in the same attack. As of Monday, two were listed in stable condition and the third in good condition; the Pentagon has not publicly identified them.
President's Previous Visits To Dover
Mr. Trump visited Dover several times during his first term to honor fallen service members, including troops killed in operations in Yemen and Afghanistan.
