Sven-Olof Olson

Olson was born on 26 November 1926 in Oskarshamn, Sweden, the son of Axel Olson, a furniture dealer, and his wife Ellen (née Ingvarsson). He passed studentexamen in Kalmar in 1945.{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/vemarvem/norr68/0880.html |editor1-last=Davidsson |editor1-first=Åke |date=1968 |title=Vem är vem?. 5, Norrland : supplement, register |trans-title=Who is Who?. 5, Norrland : supplements, directory |edition=2nd |location=Stockholm |publisher=Vem är vem |language=sv |page=856}}

Olson graduated from the Royal Swedish Air Force College (Kungliga Flygkadettskolan) in 1948 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant at Västmanland Wing (F 1) the same year. As a pilot he flew J 30 and J 33.{{cite web |url=https://blogg.forsvarsmakten.se/flygvapenbloggen/2021/04/20/minnesord-over-generallojtnant-sven-olof-olson/ |publisher=Swedish Armed Forces |title=MINNESORD ÖVER GENERALLÖJTNANT SVEN-OLOF OLSON |first=Louise |last=Levin |date=20 April 2021 |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=sv}} In 1951 he received the Stockholms-Tidningen{{'}}s gold medal after having saved a J 30 Mosquito fighter aircraft from a serious situation. Olson was promoted to lieutenant in 1950 and attended the General Course at the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College from 1953 to 1954, where he attended the Technical Course from 1956 to 1957. He was promoted to captain in 1957 and to major in 1960.{{cite book |last=Kjellander |first=Rune |title=Svenska flygvapnets högre chefer 1925-2005: chefsbiografier och befattningsöversikter |year=2013 |publisher=Rune Kjellander |location=Värmdö |language=sv |isbn=9789163711831 |id={{SELIBR|15870537}} |page=88}} Olson was head of the Department of Combat Management System ain he Air Staff's Planning Department from 1957 to 1962. He was responsible for operational planning and construction of STRIL 60 from 1958 to 1962 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1963. He was head of the Planning Department in the Defence Staff from 1963 to 1967 when he was promoted to colonel.

Olson attended the Military Academy Karlberg and the Swedish National Defence College and was head of the Planning Department at the Defence Staff in 1963. Olson was a military expert in the 1965 Defense Investigation from 1965 to 1967 and commanding officer of the Flygvapnets krigsskola (F 20) from 1967 to 1971 and commanding officer of Uppland Wing (F 16) from 1971 to 1973, both in the city of Uppsala.{{cite book |editor1-last=Uddling |editor1-first=Hans |editor2-last=Paabo |editor2-first=Katrin |date=1992 |title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1993 |trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1993 |location=Stockholm |publisher=Norstedt |isbn=91-1-914072-X |language=sv |url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1993/0855.html |page=855}} He became major general and Vice Chief of the Defence Staff in 1973 and was Commanding General of the Attack Command (E 1) from 1977 to 1980 when he was promoted to lieutenant general. In 1980-1982 Olson was the military commander of the Southern Military District (Kristianstad) in Sweden. He assumed the position of Chief of the Air Force on 1 October 1982{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1982-1.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Ny chef för Flygvapnet |year=1982 |number=1 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{SELIBR|8257600}} |page=24}} and left the command on 30 September 1988.

Olson served as president of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences from 1988 to 1991. Olson became CEO of AB Afoma and chairman of the board of Nyge CSE Aviation AB (Saab Nyge Aero AB from 1999{{cite web |url=https://www.saab.com/sv/newsroom/press-releases/1999/saab-nyge-aero-ab |publisher=Saab AB |title=Saab Nyge Aero AB |date=1 June 1999 |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=sv}}) as well as a board member of Volvo lastvagnar AB, Celsius AB and Maynard AB.

In 1950 he married the dance teacher Yvonne Jahn (born 1931), the daughter of John Jahn and Birgitta (née Bergman-Olson). He is the father of Tom (born 1951), Ylva (born 1955) and Åsa (born 1966).

• 1948 – Second lieutenant
• 19?? – Lieutenant
• 1957 – Captain
• 1960 – Major
• 1963 – Lieutenant colonel
• 1967 – Colonel
• 1973 – Major general
• 1980 – Lieutenant general

• 50x50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1974){{cite web |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/E0000849_00023 |publisher=Royal Court of Sweden |work=Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv |title=Matriklar (D 1) |trans-title=Directory (D 1) |volume=14 |page=33 |date=1970–1979 |access-date=18 December 2024 |language=sv |via=National Archives of Sweden |url-access=registration}}
• 50x50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Commander of the Order of the Sword (18 November 1971)Kungl. Hovstaterna: Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv, Matriklar (D 1), vol. 14 (1970–1979), p. 45, [https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/E0000849_00028 digital avbildning].
• 50x50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Knight 1st Class of the Order of the Sword (1964){{cite book |title=Bihang till Sveriges statskalender 1968. Kungl. Svenska riddareordnarna 1968 |year=1968 |location=Uppsala |page=135 |language=sv}}
• 50x50px {{flagicon|Sverige}} Swedish Air Force Volunteers Association Medal of Merit in gold (January 1987){{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1987-2.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=I medaljregnet |first=Torsten |last=Andersson |year=1987 |number=2 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{SELIBR|8257600}} |page=D}}
• {{flagicon|Sverige}} Swedish Air Force Volunteers Association Shield of Honour (January 1987)
• {{flagicon|Sverige}} Swedish Military Sports Association Medal of Merit in gold (The King's Medal) (Sveriges militära idrottsförbund förtjänstmedalj i guld (Kungamedaljen)) (1989){{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1989-5.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Förre CFV SMI-belönad |year=1989 |number=5 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{SELIBR|8257600}} |page=31}}
• {{flagicon|Sverige}} Stockholms-Tidningen's gold medal "for Swedish aviation services" (1950)

• 50x50px {{flagicon|Finland}} Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland (7 April 1987){{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1987-2.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Finland hedrar FV: CFV förlänad unik orden |year=1987 |number=2 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{SELIBR|8257600}} |page=27}}

• Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1968; president 1988–1991;{{cite book |last=Kjellander |first=Rune |title=Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademien: Svenska krigsmanna sällskapet (till 1805), Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademien : biografisk matrikel med porträttgalleri 1796-1995 |year=1996 |publisher=Akad. |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=9163041812 |id={{SELIBR|7451162}} |page=173}} honorary member in 2011{{cite book |last=Andersson |first=Björn |title=Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademien: Svenska krigsmanna sällskapet (till 1805), Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademien : 20 år med akademien och dess ledamöter 1996-2016 |year=2016 |publisher=Kungl. Krigsvetenskapsakademien |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=9789198087888 |id={{SELIBR|20033514}} |page=83}})
• Honorary member of the Swedish Aviation Historical Society (Svensk flyghistorisk förening, SFF){{cite web |url=https://flyghistoria.org/2021/04/22/var-hogt-varderade-hedersmedlem-sven-olof-olsson-har-tyvarr-lamnat-oss/ |website=www.flyghistoria.org |publisher=Swedish Aviation Historical Society |title=Vår högt värderade Hedersmedlem Sven-Olof Olson har tyvärr lämnat oss |first=Thomas |last=Allard |date=April 2021 |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=sv}}
• Honorary member of the Östergötland Aviation Historical Society (Östergötlands Flyghistoriska Sällskap){{cite web |url=http://www.ofsflyg.se/nyhet_komplett.htm?103&#x |website=www.ofsflyg.se |publisher=Östergötlands Flyghistoriska Sällskap |title=Hedersmedlem 90 år |date=28 November 2016 |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=sv}}

• {{cite book |editor-last=Olson |editor-first=Sven-Olof |title=Flygvapnets krigsskola, [Uppsala]: [25:e officersexamen F 20, 18.6.69] |year=1969 |publisher=Flygvapnets krigsskola |location=Uppsala |language=sv}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7QDzP7Mn5k Short clip from a film about Sven-Olof Olson]

{{s-start}}

{{s-mil}}

{{succession box

| title = Vice Chief of the Defence Staff

| years = 1973–1977

| before = Nils-Fredrik Palmstierna

| after = Bengt Schuback

}}

{{succession box

| title = Attack Command

| years = 1977–1980

| before = Bengt Rosenius

| after = Erik Nygren

}}

{{succession box

| title = Southern Military District

| years = 1980–1982

| before = Karl Eric Holm

| after = Bengt Schuback

}}

{{succession box

| title = Chief of the Air Force

| years = 1982–1988

| before = Dick Stenberg

| after = {{no wrap|Lars-Erik Englund}}

}}

{{s-npo|pro}}

{{succession box

| title = {{no wrap|President of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences}}

| years = 1988–1991

| before = Per Sköld

| after = Carl-Olof Ternryd

}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, Sven-Olof}}

Category:1926 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:Swedish Air Force lieutenant generals

Category:People from Oskarshamn Municipality

Category:Commanders First Class of the Order of the Sword

Category:Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland

Category:Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences