Ross Toles III

Petty Officer, United States Navy

February 5, 1971 – June 18, 2008
Age – 37
Beulah, MI

Operation Enduring Freedom
Provincial Reconstruction Team Sharana

Died of wounds suffered from an enemy rocket attack In norther Paktika province, Afghanistan

Petty Officer First Class Ross L. Toles III of Davison, Michigan was born at the Air Force base in Oscoda and grew up in Davison but had recently relocated his family to a new home in North Branch. The family man was the kind of guy who stepped in to head the Cub Scout Troup and served on the neighborhood association.

He enlisted in the Navy right out of high school following in his dad’s footsteps who had recently retired from the same unit earlier as a senior petty officer. At this stage in his career, Ross was settling into a managerial role. He had worked at GM’s Pontiac Assembly Center where he was a fleet manager for Premier Manufacturing Support Services. While there he supervised GM workers in repairs of mobile equipment used inside the plant.

Just a few months shy of celebrating 20 years in the military, a Middle East deployment was the last thing Petty Officer First Class Ross L. Toles III of North Branch expected. And, he never expected to go into a war zone. But, for Toles shirking his duty to country was never an option, friends said. Lt. Commander George Degener, Toles’ executive officer for 10 years, said Toles was tapped for an assignment in Afghanistan for one reason — he was the best. There was no reason to believe he’d have to go into the war zone, because he was in a unit that supported the Naval Air Station Sigonella base in Sicily. Annually they’d trek to the country for three weeks of training. “Being in the military we are all subject to individual augmentation, where you’re chosen because of the rate or specialty you have,” Degener said. “That was the case in Petty Officer Toles going to Afghanistan. His specialty was public works and construction battalions.”

“He’s been one of my top sailors,” Degener said. “He’s one of the people I looked towards and always asked to go with me on any training event anywhere we were asked to go. He was always a hard charger — a performer. Everywhere we went, he was asked to come back.”

Toles left a lasting impression on civilian turf as well. Jeff Coolidge worked for two years with Toles at GM’s Pontiac Assembly Center, where they served as fleet managers for Premier Manufacturing Support Services. Coolidge described his co-worker as a “free spirit” who was willing to lend a helping hand.

His Awards and Decorations include, 2007 Selres (Selected Reserve) Sailor of the Year, (2) Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy ‘E’ Ribbon, (2) Navy Reserve Meritorious Service Medal, (2) National Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and (3) Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

He raised a family who believed in the role of loyalty to family and country to the highest order. He was considered by his co-workers as a vibrant, free-spirited person who was always willing to lend a helping hand; and by his Lieutenant Commander as being the best in the field of public works and construction battalions.