PHOTO COURTESY OF ARIANNA HOWARD William Nathaniel “Nate” Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, a Class of 2014 MHS graduate serving in the Iowa Army National Guard, was killed by a lone ISIS gunman in Palmyra, Syria, early Saturday morning.

PALMYRA, SYRIA — A Marshalltown National Guardsman who grew up in the community, graduated from MHS in 2014 and worked as a laser engraving specialist at Emerson was killed in a terrorist attack by a lone ISIS gunman in Palmyra, Syria, early Saturday morning, according to multiple reports.

Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeff Bunn, who previously served as chief of police in State Center, posted that he and his wife Misty’s son William “Nate” Howard, 29, was one of the two members of the Iowa Army National Guard to die in the attack along with a civilian interpreter. Three other soldiers were reportedly injured, and the U.S. Central Command reported that the ISIS shooter was “engaged and killed.”

“Today, two of our Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers were killed in action along with a Civilian Interpreter in Syria. My wife Misty and I had that visit from Army Commanders you never want to have. Our son Nate was one of the soldiers that paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, to keep us all safer,” Bunn wrote. “He loved what he was doing and would be the first in and last out, no one left behind. Please pray for our soldiers all around this cruel world. We will see you again son, until then we have it from here.”

Arianna Howard, Nate’s wife, told the T-R in an email that he was “funny, smart and an amazing husband.”

“He loved to spend his time playing video games, shooting firearms, and hanging out at home with myself and all our animals,” she said. “Nate worked at Emerson as a laser engraver at his civilian job. He was a sergeant in the National Guard getting ready to re-enlist for his 12th year this month. Nate has always wanted to be in the military. At a young age, he was interested in guns, planes, jets and loved just learning about war/military history. Seeing (that) his grandfather was also in the military, he decided to join.”

She noted that Nate had previously been deployed to Kosovo with the Guard in 2020, and on Sunday, Arianna was still in “complete and utter shock” about the news of his death.

“It still hasn’t hit us that he’s actually gone. I thought it was just going to be a normal patrol week for him,” she said.

President Donald Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have vowed revenge for the attack, which resulted in the first American military casualties in Syria since the fall of the Middle Eastern country’s former leader Bashar al-Assad in 2024. Additionally, Howard and Edgar Torres are the first Iowa Army National Guard members to die in combat since Terryl L. Pasker in Afghanistan in 2011.

“Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of our soldiers killed in action,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said during a press conference Saturday evening. “I ask that all Iowans stand united in supporting them and lifting them up in prayer during this incredibly difficult time. Please pray also for the fast and full recovery of our wounded soldiers.”

Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, added that his priority is “supporting the families of our fallen and wounded Soldiers.”

“The entire Iowa National Guard grieves for this terrible loss, and we stand together to support the Soldiers and their families,” he said.

Approximately 1,800 Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, began deploying to the Middle East in late May 2025 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. mission to advise, assist, and enable partner forces in the fight against ISIS.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 893 in Marshalltown also shared a tribute to Howard on its Facebook page Sunday morning.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the loss of one of our own, William “Nate” Howard. A proud member of the UAW Local 893 Unit 1 and a dedicated Soldier of the Iowa National Guard was killed in action while serving in Syria. His sacrifice reminds us of the profound courage and commitment required of those who answered the call to defend freedom abroad. As Union members, we know the strength that comes from solidarity. Our brother carried that same Spirit into his military service — standing shoulder to shoulder with his fellow soldiers, just as he stood with us on the shop floor,” the post reads. “His Devotion to both country and Community exemplifies the values we hold dear: loyalty, service, and unity. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who served alongside him. Their grief is shared by every member of our Union family. We mourn not only the loss of a worker and soldier, but of a husband, son, and friend whose life touched many. In times like these, we are reminded that the bonds of solidarity extend beyond the workplace. They reach into our homes, our communities, and across the world. We honor his memory by continuing to support one another, by standing strong in our values, and by never forgetting the price paid by those who serve. Rest in peace brother, you will not be forgotten!”

Tributes to Howard poured in from across the area on social media, including one shared by Tama County Sheriff Casey Schmidt, who noted his close working relationship with Jeff Bunn.

“This has been a heavy weekend for Iowa. Yesterday, we learned that two members of the Iowa National Guard were killed in a terrorist attack in Syria. One of those service members was Nate Howard. An Iowan. A Guardsman. A son who did not come home. We also mourn the loss of the other Iowa National Guardsman who was killed. Their lives and their service matter. I have been friends with Jeff Bunn for many years. Jeff serves as the Police Chief for the Meskwaki Nation Police Department, a community within Tama County. I am thankful for his friendship, and my heart is broken for Jeff, Misty, and their family. Losing a child is something no parent should ever have to face. This hits close to home. It reminds us that service is personal and that the cost is real. These losses are not headlines. They are families, coworkers, and communities left carrying the weight,” Schmidt wrote. “ISIS is evil. That is not political. That is reality. Our service members are still standing in harm’s way because that evil still exists. Acknowledging that matters, and so does remembering why they serve. I am deeply thankful for the men and women of our armed forces, and I believe we do not do enough for them. They accept risks most people never have to think about.

What this does show is how Iowa handles loss. People do not turn away. They show up, they check in, and they help where they can. It is quiet and steady, and it is real.

Tama County stands with the rest of Iowa, with Jeff and Misty Bunn, James Roelsgard, Nate’s wife Arianna, all the family and friends of Nate Howard, the Iowa National Guard, and every service member serving and in harm’s way. We share in the grief. We support one another. We remember.”

The official Meskwaki Nation Facebook page also posted a tribute to Howard on Sunday.

“The Meskwaki Nation extends our deepest condolences to Meskwaki Nation Police Chief Jeffrey Bunn and his family on the tragic loss of his son, Nate Howard, who was killed while serving with the Iowa Army National Guard in Syria. We honor Nate’s service and sacrifice, and we hold Chief Bunn, his loved ones, and all who are grieving in our thoughts and prayers during this profoundly difficult time,” it read.

Arianna hoped that her late husband would be remembered for his courage and bravery in serving his country.

“He was an amazing soldier and always put so much effort into his military career. I also want him to be remembered as an amazing and loving husband. We would’ve been together for seven years at the end of this month (three years married. He had such a kind and funny soul and always loved me for who I am. I never want anyone to forget about him and his sacrifice. Honor him by always talking and loving him,” she said. “Nate’s military service meant everything to him. He loved teaching classes (and) learning new skills to better himself in the military. Nate’s plan was to do his 20 years in the National Guard. His service made him feel like he was making a difference in this world, and it definitely did. I will miss everything about Nate. He was my soulmate, my shoulder to cry on. It makes it even harder that he was away on deployment, and I wasn’t able to physically be with him for six months. We just bought a new homestead that we were supposed to grow old in, but unfortunately we can’t make those memories like we planned.”