Private First Class Tadlock was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Infantry Division. The gas range in his tent exploded causing severe burns. He was evacuated to the 4th Field Hospital at Taegu, South Korea where he died on 27 December 1950.

Tadlock was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.