Department of Michigan Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War   Donald W. Shaw Department Commander 2010-2012 Commander in Chief 2018-2019

Donald W. Shaw was elected to membership in the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil war on July 18, 1994. He joined the Order through the Governor Crapo Camp, No. 145 at Flint, Michigan. His Civil War roots extend to William M. Begole of the 23rd Michigan Infantry Regiment, through whom he joined the Order, as well as through a great great grandfather, John B. Anderson of the 179th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, upon whose service Brother Shaw bases his life membership status with the Order

Brother Shaw has served in most of the elected posts within the Governor Crapo Camp and has been involved with numerous special projects designed to keep green the memory of the soldiers and sailors of 1861 to 1865. These projects include everything from parades, to memorial services, to school presentations, to cemetery mowing and cleaning, to speaking engagements regarding the Civil War and the Grand Army of the Republic, to working on the restoration and rededication of memorials left by the Grand Army. He has also served as Camp Organizer of the U.S. Grant Camp No. 67 of Bay City, Michigan, in which he holds dual camp membership with the Crapo Camp of Flint.

Within the Department of Michigan, he has served in various elected and appointed posts. These include Department Counselor, Department Chief of Staff, Department Junior Vice Commander and Department Senior Vice Commander. He served two terms as Michigan Department Commander, from April, 2010 to March, 2012. He is the 102nd man to serve as Commander since the Department was organized in 1883.

At the National level of the Order, Brother Shaw has served as Assistant National Counselor, National Counselor, National Chief of Staff, four years as an At Large Member of the Council of Administration, Junior Vice Commander in Chief, Senior Vice Commander in Chief and was elected in August 2018 as the Orders Commander in Chief.

In other related activity, Brother Shaw is a member of the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR), has served as Commander of the Central Region Association of the Allied Orders of the Grand Army of the Republic, and has served on numerous committees performing the business of the Order

Aside from, “Keeping Green the Memory,” the best part about the work, in his opinion, is the fine people in the Order with whom he is privileged to work, who truly make all of this a pleasure.

Brother Shaw is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Masons, and is an Associate Companion, through the Michigan Commandery, of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS). He was born and raised in Flint, Michigan and resides there still. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and of Wayne State University Law School. He has been a practicing attorney in Flint for nearly forty years.