Dag Arvas

{{Short description|Swedish naval officer (1913–2004)}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = | name = Dag Arvas | honorific_suffix = | image = Dag Arvas D 15046 12.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = Dag Gustaf Christer Arvas | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|9|22|df=yes}} | birth_place = Arvidsjaur, Sweden | death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|2|1|1913|9|22|df=yes}} | death_place = Stockholm, Sweden | burial_place = | burial_label = | burial_coordinates =  | allegiance = Sweden | branch = Swedish Navy | service_years = 1935–1978 | rank = Rear Admiral | service_number =  | unit = | commands = {{bulleted list|HSwMS ''Uppland'' (J17)|1st Destroyer Flotilla|Vice Chief of the Defence Staff|Coastal Fleet|Military Office of the Minister of Defence}} | battles = | battles_label = | awards = | memorials = | spouse =  | relations = | other_work = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | website =  | module = }}

Rear Admiral '''Dag Gustaf Christer Arvas''' (22 September 1913 – 1 February 2004) was a Swedish Navy officer. Arvas senior commands include Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet and Chief of the Military Office of the Minister of Defence.

==Early life== Arvas was born on 22 September 1913 in Arvidsjaur, Sweden, the son of Birger Arvas and his wife Elsa (née Christerson).<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 75">{{cite book |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}} |url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1997/0075.html |page=75}}</ref> He passed ''studentexamen'' in Djursholm in 1932<ref name="Harnesk (1962), p. 65">{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/vemarvem/sthlm62/0089.html |editor1-last=Harnesk |editor1-first=Paul |date=1962 |title=Vem är vem? |volume=1, Stor-Stockholm |trans-title=Who's Who? |edition=2nd |location=Stockholm |publisher=Vem är vem bokförlag |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|53509}} |page=65}}</ref>

==Career== Arvas was commissioned as a naval officer in 1935 with the rank of acting sub-lieutenant. He was then on leave one summer for traveling with the Swedish sailing school's ''Kaparen'' in western European waters and he was educated at the Physical Training School (''Gymnastik- och idrottsskolan'', GIS) from 1937 to 1938.<ref name="Westin & Bring (2004), pp. 254-255">{{cite journal |url=https://www.koms.se/content/uploads/2013/06/Tis-nr-3-2004.pdf |journal=Tidskrift i sjöväsendet |title=Minnesteckningar för år 2004 |first1=Bo |last1=Westin |author-link1=Bo Westin |first2=Jan |last2=Bring |year=2004 |number=3 |location=Carlskrona |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|8258455}} |pages=254–255}}</ref> Arvas attended the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1940 to 1942 and served aboard torpedo boats and destroyers. He also served as flag lieutenant (''flaggadjutant'') to the Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet from 1945 to 1948. Arvas served as captain of the destroyer {{HSwMS|Uppland|J17|6}} from 1950 to 1951 and commander of a destroyer squadron in 1954.<ref name="Harnesk (1962), p. 65"/> He was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1953 and of the 1st rank in 1955.<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 75"/>

During the years 1946-1953, Arvas was a teacher in parallel with other service at both the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College and the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College. The land service was characterized by his involvement in the Supreme Commander investigation and in the defense committee in 1955-1958 where the foundation for the light fleet and Navy Plan 60 (''Marinplan 60'') were laid.<ref name="Westin & Bring (2004), pp. 254-255"/> Arvas served as head of the Operation Department in the Naval Staff from 1955 and as head of the Planning Department from 1958 to 1960 when he was promoted to captain.<ref name="Harnesk (1962), p. 65"/><ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 75"/><ref name="Westin & Bring (2004), pp. 254-255"/> He then served as commanding officer of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla (''Första jagarflottiljen'') from 1960 to 1961 and as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff from 1961 to 1964. Arvas served as chief of Section 3 in the Naval Staff from 1964 to 1966 when he was promoted to rear admiral.<ref name="Westin & Bring (2004), pp. 254-255"/> He was then Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet from 1966 to 1970, chairman of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences from 1966 to 1969,<ref name="Westin & Bring (2004), pp. 254-255"/> and chief of the Military Office of the Minister of Defence from 1970 to 1978.<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 75"/>

After his retirement in 1978 he was, among other things, a special investigator in the 1978 Civil Military Investigation (''1978 års civilmilitärutredning'').<ref name="Westin & Bring (2004), pp. 254-255"/><ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 75"/>

==Personal life== In 1939, he married Gunvor Milles, the daughter of Tage Milles and Thora (née Rutensköld). Children: Christer (born 1941) and Stig (born 1944).<ref name="Harnesk (1962), p. 65"/>

==Death== Arvas died on 1 February 2004 and was buried in Djursholm's Cemetery on 16 April 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.finngraven.se/(S(g3vwfd15vi02v1zdrmv30mw2))/DisplayInfo.aspx?id=1989606 |website=www.finngraven.se |title=Dag Gustaf Christer Arvas |access-date=20 August 2019 |language=sv}}</ref>

==Dates of rank== *1935 – Acting sub-lieutenant *1937 – Sub-lieutenant *19?? – Lieutenant *1953 – Lieutenant commander *1955 – Commander *1960 – Captain *1966 – Rear admiral

==Awards and decorations== * 50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1973)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/E0000849_00015#?c=&m=&s=&cv=14&xywh=3035%2C-92%2C4054%2C2222 |publisher=Royal Court of Sweden |work=Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv |title=Matriklar (D 1) |trans-title=Directory (D 1) |volume=14 |page=22 |date=1970–1979 |access-date=13 February 2026 |language=sv |via=National Archives of Sweden |url-access=registration}}</ref> * 50px {{flagicon|Sweden}} Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1966)<ref>{{cite book |url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/65665/1/gupea_2077_65665_1.pdf |title=Sveriges statskalender. 1969 |editor-first=Bengt |editor-last=Sköldenberg |year=1969 |publisher=Fritzes offentliga publikationer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{LIBRIS|3682754}} |page=95}}</ref> * 50px {{flagicon|Austria}} Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star for Services to the Republic of Austria (1974)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXIV/AB/10542/imfname_251156.pdf |publisher=Austrian Parliament |title=Anfragebeantwortung |trans-title=Response to inquiries |id=10542/AB XXIV. GP |page=398 |date=23 April 2012 |access-date=5 September 2024 |language=de}}</ref> * 50px {{flagicon|Denmark}} King Christian X's Liberty Medal<ref name="Harnesk (1962), p. 65"/> * {{flagicon|Mexico}} Officer of the Order of the Aztec Eagle<ref name="Harnesk (1962), p. 65"/>

==Hounors== *Honorary member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences (1954)<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 75"/> *Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1959)<ref name="Salander Mortensen (1996), p. 75"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef | before = Åke Lindemalm}} {{s-ttl | title = Operations Department, Naval Staff | years = 1955–1957}} {{s-aft | after = ?}} {{s-bef | before = Bengt Lundvall}} {{s-ttl | title = Planning Department, Naval Staff | years = 1958–1960}} {{s-aft | after = Gunnar Grandin}} {{s-bef | before = Åke Mangård}} {{s-ttl | title = Vice Chief of the Defence Staff | years = 1961–1964}} {{s-aft | after = Bengt Lundvall}} {{s-bef | before = Einar Blidberg}} {{s-ttl | title = Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet | years = 1966–1970}} {{s-aft | after = Christer Kierkegaard}} {{s-bef | before = Holger Henning}} {{s-ttl | title = Military Office of the Minister of Defence | years = 1970–1978}} {{s-aft | after = Carl-Fredrik Algernon}} {{s-npo|pro}} {{succession box | title = {{no wrap|Chairman of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences}} | years = 1966–1969 | before = Stig Bergelin | after = Åke Lindemalm }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arvas, Dag}} Category:1913 births Category:2004 deaths Category:Swedish Navy rear admirals Category:People from Arvidsjaur Municipality Category:Members of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences Category:Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences Category:Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword

Dag Arvas

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