Åke Lindemalm


Åke Fredrik Lindemalm was a Swedish Navy officer. He was Acting Chief of the Naval Staff from 1960 to 1961 and Chief of the Navy from 1961 to 1970.

Career

Lindemalm was born on 26 February 1910 in Lima, Sweden, the son of Oskar Lindemalm, a district medical officer, and his wife Augusta. He passed studentexamen at Högre Allmänna Läroverket in Uppsala in 1928 and became an acting sub-lieutenant in the Swedish Navy in 1931. He was a training officer for the Cabin Boy Corps on the full-rigged ship af Chapman from 1936 to 1937. Lindemalm became an officer cadet in 1938 and spent two and a half years ashore at the Royal Swedish Naval Academy and on a long trip to South America with the seaplane cruiser as well as aboard different cadet ships to form the cadets to prospective officers in the course of 1941. During World War II he served as captain of various submarines. Lindemalm served as captain of submarines HSwMS Nordkaparen and HSwMS U3. Lindemalm was a teacher at the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1948 to 1951. Lindemalm was promoted to commander of the 2nd rank in 1949 and was commanding officer of the 1st Submarine Flotilla in 1951.
Lindemalm then served at the Operations Department of the Naval Staff from 1952 to 1955 and was promoted to commander of the 1st rank in 1953. He was captain of the cruiser from 1955 to 1956 and was promoted to captain the following year. Lindemalm was flag captain from 1957 to 1959 and Inspector of the Submarine and Helicopter Service from 1959 to 1961 when he was promoted to rear admiral. He was Acting Chief of the Naval Staff from 1960 to 1961 when he was promoted to vice admiral. He was appointed Chief of the Navy in 1961 and for economic reasons had to proceed with the reduction of the number of ships and coastal artillery pieces, which his predecessor had begun. However, submarines which was ordered was of high technical quality, the Swedish Coastal Artillery transition to medium and light pieces was started and the helicopter's increased importance for naval warfare was continued by Lindemalm. He was promoted to admiral upon his retirement in 1970.

Later life

Lindemalm was board member of the Svenska AB Philips from 1970 to 1982 and chairman of the same from 1974 to 1982. He was board member of the Svenska Philipsföretagen AB from 1977 to 1982 and of the British Scandinavian Aviation AB from 1972 to 1985.

Personal life

In 1934 Lindemalm married Karin Denning, the daughter of Viktor Karlsson and Matilda. He was the father of Per, Gunnar and Mats. Lindemalm died on 30 April 2004 and was buried at Galärvarvskyrkogården in Stockholm.

Dates of rank

Swedish