He studied at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as an ROTC cadet before transferring to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in 1926.

After taking basic flight training, he was transferred to the Coast Artillery and served three years in Hawaii as a battery commander before returning to West Point as an instructor.

In 1938 he was transferred to the Submarine Mine Depot in Fort Monroe, where he served six years as chief of the Industrial and the Research and Development divisions.

Toftoy acquired great expertise in mines and explosives; he helped clear harbors in France during the war.

He cabled the Pentagon, then personally went to Washington to recommend to senior officers that German scientists be brought to the U.S. for interrogation and possible employment.

By September 1945, the first group of scientists, including Wernher von Braun, had arrived in the United States.

This was responsible for planning, technical control, and supervision of what had become the nationwide Army guided missile and rocket development program.

After recurrence of an old ailment during a Christmas visit to his daughter at Huntsville in 1966, Toftoy was transported to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.