Båge was born on 25 August 1925 in Alingsås Parish, Älvsborg County, Sweden,[1] the son of Erik Båge, a repairer, and his wife Selma. Båge passed studentexamen in 1945.[2]
Career
Båge graduated from the Swedish Air Force Flying School in 1948 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Svea Wing. Båge served there from 1948 to 1958 and he was promoted to lieutenant in 1950.[3] In September 1950, he made news after flying the Gothenburg-Stockholm route in a de Havilland Vampire, in a time of 29 minutes, 22 seconds, including takeoff and landing.[4] In 1958, Båge was promoted to captain, whereupon he served in the Third Air Group (Tredje flygeskadern, E 3) and Air Staff from 1958 to 1963. He was promoted to major in 1962.[3] He was head of Operation Command I in the Defence Staff from 1963 to 1966, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1965 and was head of Section 1 of the staff of the Eastern Military District from 1966 to 1968.[3][5][6]
In 1969, he was promoted to colonel, after which he was commander of Jämtland Wing from 1969 to 1973.[3] In September 1970, he had his appointment extended until further notice as acting commander of Jämtland Wing.[7] He was promoted to senior colonel on 1 October 1974[8] after which he served as head of Operations Command 2 in the Defence Staff from 1973 to 1978.[3][9] On 1 October 1978, Båge was promoted to major general and assumed the position of chief of staff of the Upper Norrland Military District.[10] He then served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1980 to 1984 and head of the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1984 to 1990.[3] When Båge (Class of 1945) retired in the autumn of 1990, with 45 years and 4 months he was the person who served the longest in the Sweden Air Force.[11]
Personal life
In 1948, Båge married Gunnel Brandt (born 1925).[2] Their daughter was born on 30 July 1952 at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm.[12] Their second daughter was born on 26 January 1958 in Ward 6 at Karolinska Hospital.[13]
Death
Båge died on 21 January 2021 in Arild, Sweden. The funeral service was held in Brunnby Church.[14]
^ abcdefKjellander, Rune (2013). Svenska flygvapnets högre chefer 1925-2005: chefsbiografier och befattningsöversikter (in Swedish). Värmdö: Rune Kjellander. p. 48. ISBN9789163711831. SELIBR15870537.
^Kungl. Hovstaterna: Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv, Matriklar (D 1), vol. 14 (1970–1979), p. 46, digital avbildning.
^Bihang till Sveriges statskalender 1968. Kungl. Svenska riddareordnarna 1968 (in Swedish). Uppsala. 1968. p. 108.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)