Bert Stenfeldt

{{Short description|Swedish Air Force officer (1933–2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = | name = Bert Stenfeldt | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = Bert Göran Stenfeldt | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|8|12|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Malmö]], Sweden | death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|12|10|1933|8|12|df=yes}} | death_place = | burial_place = | burial_label = | burial_coordinates =  | allegiance = Sweden | branch = [[Swedish Air Force]] | service_years = 1958–1994 | rank = Major General | service_number =  | unit = | commands = {{bulleted list|71st Fighter Division|Helicopter Test Unit|[[Norrbotten Wing]]|[[Chief of the Air Staff (Sweden)|Chief of the Air Staff]]|[[1st Air Command (Sweden)|1st Air Command]]}} | battles = | battles_label = | awards = | memorials = | spouse =  | relations = | other_work = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | website =  | module = }}

[[Generalmajor (Sweden)|Major General]] '''Bert Göran Stenfeldt''' (12 August 1933 – 10 December 2023) was a [[Swedish Air Force]] officer. Stenfeldt served as [[Chief of the Air Staff (Sweden)|Chief of the Air Staff]] from 1987 to 1990 and as the Commander General of the [[1st Air Command (Sweden)|1st Air Command]] from 1990 to 1994.

==Early life== Lönnbom was born on 12 August 1933 in Saint Paul Parish (''Sankt Pauli församling'') in [[Malmö]], [[Malmöhus County]], Sweden,<ref>{{cite book |title=Sveriges befolkning 1980 |year=2004 |publisher=Sveriges släktforskarförb. |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=9187676370 |id={{SELIBR|9632925}}}}</ref> the son of Harald Persson and his wife Agnes (née Stenfeldt).<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 1044">{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1997/1044.html |editor-last=Salander Mortensen |editor-first=Jill |year=1996 |title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 |trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997 |location=Stockholm |publisher=Norstedt |isbn=91-1-960852-7 |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|3681533}} |page=1044}}</ref> Stenfeldt became a [[sergeant pilot]] in 1951.<ref name="Kjellander (2013), p. 102"/>

==Career== Stenfeldt was commissioned as an officer in the [[Swedish Air Force]] in 1958 with the rank of second lieutenant, stationed in [[Blekinge Wing]].<ref name="Kjellander (2013), p. 102">{{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=102}}</ref> He initially flew the [[Saab 18|Saab T18]], a torpedo-carrying version of the B18 propeller-driven twin-engine bomber.<ref name="Harrskog (2023), p. 22">{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/2024-01-16/SVNY/22 |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |title=Bert Stenfeldt, 1933-2023 |first=Kent |last=Harrskog |author-link1=Kent Harrskog |page=22 |date=16 January 2024 |access-date=7 February 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He was promoted to lieutenant in 1960 and from 1960 to 1966, Stenfeldt was posted at [[Skaraborg Wing]]. He attended the General Course at the [[Swedish Armed Forces Staff College]] in 1963, and commanded the 71st Fighter Division (''71. stridsflygdivisionen'') from 1964 to 1966. Stenfeldt was promoted to captain in 1966 and attended the Staff Course at the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1966 to 1968. Stenfeldt served in the staff of the [[1st Air Command (Sweden)|1st Air Command]] from 1968 to 1970 and in 1971 he was promoted to major and to lieutenant colonel.<ref name="Kjellander (2013), p. 102"/>

Stenfeldt attended the [[Air Command and Staff College]] in United States from 1973 to 1974<ref name="Kjellander (2013), p. 102"/> and served as head of the Central Department in Section 1 of the Air Staff from 1976.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/statskal/1978/0097.html |title=Sveriges statskalender. 1978 |year=1978 |publisher=Fritzes offentliga publikationer |location=Stockholm |isbn=91-38-03894-3 |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|3682759}} |page=97}}</ref> Stenfeldt studied at the [[Swedish Defence University|Swedish National Defence College]] in 1978 and in 1982. He was promoted to colonel in 1979 and appointed commander of the Helicopter Test Unit (''Helikopterförsöksförbandet'', HKP F). In 1982, Stenfeldt was promoted to senior colonel and appointed commander of the [[Norrbotten Wing]] and [[Upper Norrland]] air defence sector (F 21/Se ÖN). From 1 April 1984, he served as head of the System Section FS2 (''Systemsektion FS2'') in the [[Air Staff (Sweden)|Air Staff]].<ref name="Flygvapennytt (1984), p. 24">{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1984-1.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Utnämningar & förordnanden |year=1984 |number=1 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{SELIBR|8257600}} |page=24}}</ref> On 1 November 1987, Stenfeldt was promoted to major general and assumed the position of [[Chief of the Air Staff (Sweden)|Chief of the Air Staff]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/1987-09-11/SVNY/13 |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |title=Bengt Lönnbom |editor-first=Barbro |editor-last=Hultman |page=13(17) |date=11 September 1987 |access-date=7 February 2024 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}}</ref> a post he held for three years. His final assignment before retiring was as Commanding General of the 1st Air Command in [[Gothenburg]] from 1 October 1990 to 1994.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1990-2.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Utnämningar m.m. |year=1990 |number=2 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{LIBRIS|8257600}} |page=2}}</ref><ref name="Kjellander (2013), p. 102"/> Stenfeldt retired on 30 September 1994.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.fht.nu/bilder/Flygvapnet/Flygvapennytt/fv_nytt_2_95_avveckling_e1.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Efter 56 år - tack och farväl |year=1995 |number=2 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{LIBRIS|8257600}} |page=47}}</ref>

==Personal life== In 1955, he married Maybritt Christensson.<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 1044"/>

In 2007, Stenfeldt became chairman of the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saabveteranernatrollhattan.com/Bilder/2016_Kallakriget/index.html |publisher=Veteranföreningen Trollhättan |website=www.saabveteranernatrollhattan.com |title=Föredrag av Generalmajor Bert Stenfeldt om kalla kriget |first=Nils-Uno |last=Håkansson |date=2016 |access-date=20 January 2021 |language=sv}}</ref> On 4 April 2019, Stenfeldt became an honorary member of the ''[[Södertörn Wing|F 18]] Kamratförening'' ("[[Södertörn Wing|F 18]] Friendship Association").<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.f8kamratforening.nu/F18_K_59.pdf |journal=F18-kamraten: tidning för F18 kamratförening med medlemmar ur Kungl Södertörns flygflottilj/flygvapnets Södertörnsskolor |title=F 18 Hedersmedlem |first=Gunnar |last=Persson |date=June 2019 |number=59 |publisher=F18 kamratförening |location=Uttran |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|10339544}} |page=15}}</ref>

==Death== Stenfeldt 10 December 2023 in {{ill|Grevie District|sv|Grevie distrikt}}, [[Båstad Municipality]], at the age of 90.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ratsit.se/19330812-Bert_Goran_Stenfeldt_Bastad/HM2tM6xa5KbvX3t6FS_kud9mlSXpCUSUB6jp9miuW8o |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240206075946/https://www.ratsit.se/19330812-Bert_Goran_Stenfeldt_Bastad/HM2tM6xa5KbvX3t6FS_kud9mlSXpCUSUB6jp9miuW8o |website=www.ratsit.se |title=Bert Göran Stenfeldt |access-date=6 February 2024 |archive-date=6 February 2024 |language=sv}}</ref> The funeral took place on 17 January 2024 in {{ill|Förslöv Church|sv|Förslövs kyrka}} in [[Förslöv]], Båstad Municipality.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.familjesidan.se/cases/ae75e256-6ceb-4285-9ae2-06831364ab46/funeral-notices |website=www.familjesidan.se |title=Bert Stenfeldt 1933-08-12 – 2023-12-10 |access-date=6 February 2024 |language=sv}}</ref>

==Awards and decorations== *[[File:Swedish_Air_Force_Volunteers_Association_Medal_of_Merit_ribbon.png|50x50px]] {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Swedish Air Force Volunteers Association Medal of Merit]] in silver (1989)<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1990-2.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Bragdman-89 & övriga utmärkelser |year=1990 |number=2 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{LIBRIS|8257600}} |page=32}}</ref>

==Honours== *Member of the [[Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences]] (1979)<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 1044"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name | nm0973834}} *{{Sfdb name | 309858}} {{In lang|sv}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box | title = [[Norrbotten Wing]] | years = 1982–1984 | before = [[Lars-Bertil Persson]] | after = Carl-Johan Rundberg }} {{succession box | title = [[Chief of the Air Staff (Sweden)|Chief of the Air Staff]] | years = 1987–1990 | before = [[Bengt Lönnbom]] | after = [[Bernt Östh]] }} {{s-bef | before = Bertil Nordström}} {{s-ttl | title = [[1st Air Command (Sweden)|1st Air Command]] | years = 1990–1994}} {{s-aft | after= Christer Salsing|as=Acting}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stenfeldt, Bert}} [[Category:1933 births]] [[Category:2023 deaths]] [[Category:Swedish Air Force major generals]] [[Category:Military personnel from Malmö]] [[Category:Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences]] [[Category:Air Command and Staff College alumni]]