As the nation observed Veterans Day on Nov. 11, honoring those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, the Boles family of Monroeville stands out for its deep, multi-generational commitment to military service.

The tradition spans more than a century, from World War I trenches to modern-day naval medicine and special operations.

The local connection began when Dr. Mark Boles, a Navy veteran, and his wife, Valerie Boles, moved to Monroeville in their mid-30s for Mark’s pediatric residency at Mercy Hospital.

Mark Boles, born in Arlington, Va., and a self-described “Navy brat,” joined the service in 1973 after high school. He trained as a hospital corpsman, learning neurosurgical medicine in San Diego before transferring to Camp Pendleton, Calif., for Marine and field medicine training.

“This motivated him to go on to medical school and practice medicine,” Valerie Boles said.

The couple, who met in high school in Los Angeles, married in 1976. After moving to Pennsylvania, Valerie and her sister, Vicky, ran Minitalia’s Deli in Monroeville for over a decade, a business their parents purchased for them.

Sons follow father’s path

The couple’s two sons, Matthew and Chadwick, both graduates of Gateway High School, followed their father into military service.

Matthew Boles, a 1999 Gateway graduate, attended the University of Pittsburgh before completing his residency and spending four years in Guam. He is a physician and a Navy lieutenant commander currently stationed at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, where his father once served. Matthew, his wife Jaime and their two children reside in San Diego.

His younger brother, Chadwick “Chad” Boles, a 2004 Gateway graduate, joined the Air Force straight out of high school. Chad Boles was trained in special forces as a combat controller, served two tours in Afghanistan, and was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. In 2013, he was named National Airman of the Year in Washington, D.C.

“He played varsity football for Coach Terry Smith and learned that he worked well in a team environment,” Valerie Boles said.

Chad Boles is due to graduate from Long Beach State with a degree in construction management.

“They are humble and generous to a fault,” Valerie Boles said of her sons. “I couldn’t be more proud.”

Decades of family service

The military lineage on Mark Boles’ side stretches back to World War I. His maternal grandfather, Ralph Mills, was an infantryman in the Army from 1916 to 1918, fighting in Europe before returning safely to Central California.

Mark Boles’ paternal grandfather, Gordon Oyler Boles, joined the Navy at age 17. Assigned to the USS Pyro, an ammunition ship, he was docked on the opposite side of Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941. Gordon Boles went on to serve three years in the Pacific and was a decorated veteran, receiving a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and five Purple Hearts, among other awards. He retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer, the highest enlisted rank in the Navy, and is buried at the National Cemetery in Bakersfield, Calif.

Mark Boles’ brother, Brian, also attended the Naval Academy.

On Valerie Boles’ side, her late father, Charles Munoz, joined the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., after graduating high school in Los Angeles.

“He was very proud of his service,” Valerie Boles said. Munoz passed away in 2023 and is buried at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

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