Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Erik Gustav Vilhelm Nygren (18 July 1923 – 27 September 1999) was a Swedish Air Force officer. Nygren's senior command was Chief of the Air Staff from 1978 to 1980 and commanding officer of the Attack Group from 1980 to 1983.

Early life

Nygren was born on 18 July 1923 in

Visby Visby () is an urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic city of Visby is arguably t ...

City Parish (''Visby stadsförsamling''), Sweden, the son of Artur Nygren, a senior postman, and his wife Ester (née Berg).

Career

Nygren was commissioned as an officer in the Swedish Air Force in 1946 with the rank of ''

Fänrik ''Fänrik'' () ( en, second lieutenant in the Swedish Army/Air Force, Acting sub-lieutenant in the Navy) is a company grade officer rank. In the army/airforce, it ranks above sergeant and below lieutenant. In the navy, it ranks above sergeant ...

''. He as promoted to Lieutenant in

Östgöta Wing , colors = , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , battles = , anniversaries = , decorations = , battle_honours = , commander1 = , command ...

(F 3) in 1948 where he served as squadron commander from 1949 to 1954. Nygren attended the General Course at the

Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College __NOTOC__ Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College ( sv, Flygkrigshögskolan, FKHS) was established in 1939 and located in Stockholm. It was under the command of the Chief of the Swedish Air Force. From the start, one-year higher courses in staff ser ...

in 1951 and was promoted to Captain in the Second Air Group (''Andra flygeskadern'', E 2) in 1953. Nygren attended the Staff Course at the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College from 1954 and 1955 and served as a staff officer from 1956 to 1957. In 1958, Nygren was promoted to Major, whereupon he was flight commander at

Hälsinge Wing Hälsinge Wing ( sv, Hälsinge flygflottilj), also F 15 Söderhamn, or simply F 15, is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located near Söderhamn in northern Sweden. Heraldry and traditions Coat of arms The first coat of arms ...

(F 15) from 1958 to 1961 and led training for Austrian pilots in Sweden and served in the

Austrian Air Force The Austrian Air Force (german: Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, , Austrian Air Combat Force) is a component part of the Austrian Armed Forces. History The Austrian Air Force in its current form was created in May 1955 by the victorious A ...

in 1961. He served as section chief in the Second Air Group from 1962 to 1966, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1963 and attended the General Course at the

Swedish National Defence College The Swedish Defence University ( sv, Försvarshögskolan, FHS) is situated on Drottning Kristinas väg 37 in Östermalm, Stockholm City Centre, next to the campus of the Royal Institute of Technology. History Today's Swedish Defence University ma ...

in 1964. In 1966, Nygren was promoted to Colonel, whereupon he was commanding officer of the

Jämtland Wing Jämtland Wing ( sv, Jämtlands flygflottilj), also F 4 Frösön, or simply F 4, is a former Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located at Åre Östersund Airport outside Östersund on Frösön in the middle of Sweden. History The airbase ...

from 1966 to 1968. He was promoted to Senior Colonel in 1969, and then served as air inspector in the staff of the

Southern Military District 200px, Headquarters of the district at 53 Pushkinskaya Street / 43 Budenovsky avenue, Rostov-on-Don The Southern Military District ( Russian: Южный военный округ) is a military district of Russia. It is one of the five militar ...

(Milo S) from 1969 to 1974. Nygren then served as system inspector in the Air Staff from 1975 to 1977. In 1977, Nygren was promoted to Major General, after which he was Chief of Staff of

Upper Norrland Military District Upper Norrland Military District ( sv, Övre Norrlands militärområde, Milo ÖN), originally VI Military District ( sv, VI. militärområdet) was a Swedish military district, a command of the Swedish Armed Forces that had operational control ove ...

(Milo ÖN) from 1977 to 1978. On 1 October 1978, Nygren was appointed Chief of the Air Staff and served until 30 September 1980. On 1 October 1980, Nygren assumed the position of commanding officer of the Attack Group. He left the position three years later on 30 September 1983 and retired from active service.

Personal life

In 1948, Nygren married Elsie Löfveberg (1925–1989), the daughter of Gösta Löfveberg and Ester (née Högstadius).

Death

Nygren died on 27 September 1999 in Saint Göran Parish in Stockholm. He was interred at the Eastern Cemetery in

Dates of rank

*1946 –

Second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 1 ...

*1948 –

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

*1953 –

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

*1958 – Major *1963 – Lieutenant colonel *1966 –

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

*1969 – Senior colonel *1977 –

Major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Awards and decorations

Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Knight_1st_Class_BAR

, Sweden: Knight First Class of the

Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the ...

(1964) *

Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_BAR

, Sweden: Commander of the

(6 June 1969) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

, Sweden: Commander First Class of the

(6 June 1972)Kungl. Hovstaterna: Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv, Matriklar (D 1), vol. 14 (1970–1979), p. 31
digital imageing

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nygren, Erik 1923 births 1999 deaths Swedish Air Force major generals People from Gotland Commanders First Class of the Order of the Sword