President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, to pay respects to two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter killed in a recent attack in Syria. The solemn event marked Trump’s first participation in such a ceremony since taking office, highlighting the nation’s mourning for the fallen.
The dignified transfer took place on the tarmac of Dover Air Force Base, where military carry teams moved transfer cases draped with American flags from a C-17 aircraft to awaiting vehicles. President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, top military brass, and senators including Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley of Iowa observed in silence, as is customary during these highly choreographed rituals. No words were spoken by dignitaries, with the only instructions coming from military officials directing the proceedings. The president met privately with the families of the deceased beforehand, and first lady Melania Trump was scheduled to attend but did not, with her office citing unspecified reasons.
The two guardsmen honored were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, both members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment of the Iowa National Guard. They were killed on Saturday, December 13, in the Syrian desert when an ISIS gunman ambushed their unit. Also killed was Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a U.S. civilian from Macomb, Michigan, who served as an interpreter and had worked for the U.S. Army since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, immigrating to the U.S. on a special visa.
The attack occurred in eastern Syria, where hundreds of U.S. troops are deployed as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Three other Iowa National Guard members were injured in the incident, though the Pentagon has not released their identities. This marks the first time U.S. service members have been killed in action since January 2024, when three troops died in a drone attack in Jordan, underscoring the ongoing risks in conflict zones.
Trump has visited Dover several times during his first term, once describing it as “the toughest thing I have to do” as president, and he vowed retaliation for the Syria attack over the weekend. He emphasized that interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whom he recently hosted at the White House, was devastated by the incident and not involved. The attack follows a period of rapprochement between the U.S. and Syria, bringing the former pariah state into the coalition against ISIS.
Family members and officials paid heartfelt tributes to the fallen. Howard’s stepfather, Jeffrey Bunn, described him as a loving husband and man of faith who had dreamed of being a soldier since childhood. Torres-Tovar was remembered by fellow guardsmen as a positive, family-oriented person who always put others first. Sakat’s daughter, Dina Qiryaqoz, said her father was a devoted family man and courageous interpreter who believed deeply in his mission, surviving by his wife and four adult children.
Following the transfer, the remains of the guardsmen will be transported to Iowa for burial, escorted by Howard’s brother, a staff sergeant in the Iowa National Guard. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and other state leaders attended to support the families. The dignified transfer process is a solemn military tradition conducted for every U.S. service member who dies in a theater of operation, with remains moved to the mortuary facility at Dover for preparation before final resting places.
The incident has renewed focus on the U.S. military presence in Syria and potential responses to ISIS threats. As the nation honors these sacrifices, the mission against ISIS persists, with the dignified transfer serving as a poignant reminder of the cost of service and the ongoing challenges in global security. Trump’s attendance underscores the presidential role in comforting families and reaffirming commitment to those who serve, with implications for future diplomatic and military strategies in the region.
