The remains of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in Syria arrived early this afternoon at the Des Moines International Airport.
Iowa National Guard leaders, Governor Kim Reynolds, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst and U.S. Representative Zach Nunn were among those who saluted the coffins of Staff Sergeants Nate Howard of Marshalltown and Edgar Torres-Tovar of Des Moines. Members of the Iowa National Guard Honor Guard carried each coffin to a waiting hearse during a private ceremony attended by the soldiers’ families.
At about 1:30 p.m., law enforcement vehicles escorted the hearses from the airport onto Fleur Drive, a major Des Moines street named for an Iowa soldier killed during World War One. Iowans lined the roadway, many holding American flags, to pay their respects as the procession passed.
The hearses transported the soldiers to funeral homes in Des Moines and Marshalltown handling local arrangements. Howard’s funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning at Marshalltown High School. Torres-Tovar’s funeral will be held Monday, though the time and location have not yet been announced.
The Iowa National Guard has posthumously promoted both men to the rank of staff sergeant.
