Erik Nygren

Major General 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.

Erik Nygren
Birth name	Erik Gustav Vilhelm Nygren
Born	18 July 1923 Visby, Sweden
Died	27 September 1999 (aged 76) Stockholm, Sweden
Allegiance	Sweden
Service/branch	Swedish Air Force
Years of service	1946–1983
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Jämtland Air Force Wing Chief of Staff, Milo ÖN Chief of the Air Staff Attack Group

Career

Nygren was born on 18 July 1923 in Visby City Parish, Sweden,[1] the son of Artur Nygren, a senior postman, and his wife Ester (née Berg).[2] Nygren was commissioned as an officer in the Swedish Air Force in 1946 with the rank of Fänrik. He as promoted to Lieutenant in Östgöta Air Force Wing (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 in 1951 and was promoted to Captain in the Second Air Group (Andra flygeskadern, E 2) in 1953.[3]

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 Air Force Wing (F 15) from 1958 to 1961 and led training for Austrian pilots in Sweden and served in the Austrian Air Force 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 in 1964.[3]

In 1966, Nygren was promoted to Colonel, whereupon he was commanding officer of the Jämtland Air Force Wing 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 (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 (Milo ÖN) from 1977 to 1978. On 1 October 1978, Nygren was appointed Chief of the Air Staff and served until 30 September 1980.[4] 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.[3][5]

Personal life

In 1948, Nygren married Elsie Löfveberg (1925–1989), the daughter of Gösta Löfveberg and Ester (née Högstadius).[2]

Death

Nygren died on 27 September 1999 in Saint GÖran Parish in Stockholm.[1] He was interred at the Eastern Cemetery in Visby.[6]

Dates of rank

• 1946 – Fänrik
• 1948 – Lieutenant
• 1953 – Captain
• 1958 – Major
• 1963 – Lieutenant Colonel
• 1966 – Colonel
• 1969 – Senior Colonel
• 1977 – Major General

Awards and decorations

• Knight First Class of the Order of the Sword (1964)[7]
• Commander of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1969)[8]
• Commander First Class of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1972)[9]

References

1. Sveriges dödbok 1901-2009 [Swedish death index 1901-2009] (in Swedish) (Version 5.0 ed.). Solna: Sveriges släktforskarförbund. 2010. ISBN 9789187676598. SELIBR 11931231.
2. Salander Mortensen, Jill, ed. (1996). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 844. ISBN 91-1-960852-7. SELIBR 3681533.
3. Kjellander, Rune (2013). Svenska flygvapnets högre chefer 1925-2005: chefsbiografier och befattningsöversikter (in Swedish). Värmdö: Rune Kjellander. p. 86. ISBN 9789163711831. SELIBR 15870537.
4. Wennerholm, Bertil, ed. (2015). Så kom JAS-projektet till: vittnesseminarium kring beslutsprocessen om JAS 39 1979-1983 : 11 november 2013. Forskningsprojektet Försvaret och det kalla kriget (FOKK), 1652-5388 ; 45 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Forskningsprojektet Försvaret och det kalla kriget (FoKK. p. 154. ISBN 9789198049886. SELIBR 18205009.
5. Andersson, Lennart (2010). ÖB:s klubba: flygvapnets attackeskader under kalla kriget (PDF). Publikation / Försvaret och det kalla kriget (FOKK), 1652-5388 ; 24 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Svenskt militärhistoriskt bibliotek. p. 208. ISBN 978-91-85789-74-0. SELIBR 11958220.
6. "Erik Gustav Vilhelm Nygren". www.gravar.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-09-03.
7. Bihang till Sveriges statskalender 1968. Kungl. Svenska riddareordnarna 1968 (in Swedish). Uppsala. 1968. p. 134.
8. Kungl. Hovstaterna: Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv, Matriklar (D 1), vol. 13 (1960–1969), p. 52, digital imageing.
9. Kungl. Hovstaterna: Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv, Matriklar (D 1), vol. 14 (1970–1979), p. 31, digital imageing.