Tad D. Campbell was born November 25, 1970 at Los Gatos, California, the first of two sons of Donald and Kathy Campbell. Shortly thereafter he moved with his parents to a small ranch in rural Gilroy, the southernmost city in Santa Clara County and now famous as the “Garlic Capital of the World.”

He attended the local Gilroy schools and graduated from Gilroy High School. He then attended Gavilan Community College in Gilroy and San Jose State University with a major in history.

In 1992 Tad began a career as a 9-1-1 dispatcher with the San Jose Police Department. He was an active member of the Communications staff, participating on a number of important committees, including the selection of new phone and computer systems. Tad was also a dedicated Communications Training Officer, having taught more than 170 new employees one-on-one in the skills necessary to process 9-1-1 calls. He was the inaugural recipient of the SJPD Communications Training Officer of the Month award, was named SJPD Dispatcher of the Quarter three times, and SJPD Dispatcher of the Year three times. In 2013 he received the Special Achievment Award from the Public Safety Communications Managers Association of Santa Clara County (PSCMA). In 2019 the same organization awarded Tad the Ramona Raymond Pillar of Inspiration Award, which is awarded to the one dispatcher in the entire county who best fits the description of “those teachers, trainers, mentors who have shared their knowledge and their wisdom; who has encouraged us to stretch and grow in our personal and professional lives; who have inspired us to greatness or who have stood in support of our dreams and aspirations.” In 2023, Tad retired after 31+ years in public safety.

Tad’s life-long interest in history began while he was still in his youth. In the late 1980s he began researching his family history, which led to the discovery that he is directly descended from seven Union ancestors and one Confederate ancestor, as follows:

• Ira Erastus Angus — Co. F, 10th Michigan Cavalry
• John Henderson Appleton — Co. E, 17th Indiana Infantry, Wilder’s Lightning Brigade
• George W. Duryee — Co. A, 4th Michigan Infantry
• Bennett Tiner — Co. B, 1st Arkansas Infantry (Benton County Home Guards – USA)
• Alexander Oakes — Co. F, 1st Arkansas Cavalry (USA)
• William Oakes — Co. H, 60th Enrolled Missouri Infantry (USA) and Co. G, 5th Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia (USA)
• Jonathan Edward Wolf — Co. A, 18th Iowa Infantry
• Eldridge Campbell — Co. I, 25th Virginia Cavalry (CSA)

Over the years Tad has discovered that he has an additional 46 blood uncles who served during the Civil War — 33 for the Union and 13 for the Confederacy. A complete list can be found on Tad’s genealogy website at the following link:  New Heritage Genealogy

In 1997 Tad became interested in the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) and was recruited into the Phil Sheridan Camp No. 4 of San Jose by the late Donald Cheney, PDC. A Life Member of the organization, Tad is an active member of Camp No. 4, having served in every elective office, including two terms as Camp Commander, and in the appointed positions of Patriotic Instructor, Newsletter Editor, Historian, and Signals Officer/Webmaster.

Tad was elected three times to the office of Department Commander and has been the Department Signals Officer/Webmaster continuously since 2000. Since becoming active in the organization, Tad has not missed an opportunity to serve his Brothers as a Delegate to the Department and National Encampments, including the 1st Special National Encampment at Gettysburg in 2007 and the 1st Special Department Encampment in Fresno in 2009. In addition to his duties with the Camp and Department, he has also lent his efforts at the National level as a member of the National Committee on History, the National Committee on Constitution and Regulations, and as Chairman of the National Committees on Fraternal Relations and Program and Policy . Tad was elected to a three-year term on the Council of Administration in 2009, and was unanimously elected Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief in 2012, Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief in 2013, and finally Commander-in-Chief at the 133rd Annual National Encampment at Marietta, Georgia in 2014.

As a member of the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR), Tad is a Color Sergeant in Company C, 8th California Volunteer Infantry. He is also the current Commander of the California Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the Union States (MOLLUS).

Honoring his Southern heritage, Tad is a life member of the Morgan’s Men Association and of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

In addition, Tad is a member of the American Battlefield Trust, the Sons of Spanish American War Veterans (SSAWV), Bloodlines of Salem, and is a charter member of Logan’s Brigade.

Tad lives in Gilroy, California with his wife, Tina. Tad’s daughter, Emelia, is a life member of the Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (ASUVCW).