Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

Helge Hjalmar Immanuel Strömbäck (26 July 1889 – 20 March 1960) was a

Swedish Navy The Swedish Navy () is the maritime service branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet (), formally sometimes referred to as the Royal Navy () – as well as marine units, the Amph ...

officer. He was the Chief of the Naval Staff from 1942 to 1945 and the Chief of the Navy from 1945 to 1953.

Early life

Strömbäck was born on 26 July 1889 in Delsbo,

Gävleborg County Gävleborg County () is a Counties of Sweden, county or ''län'' on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Uppsala County, Uppsala, Västmanland County, Västmanland, Dalarna County, Dalarna, Jämtland County, Jämtland and V� ...

, Sweden, the son of vicar Hjalmar Strömbäck and his wife Ida (née Steinmetz). He became a sea cadet in 1903.

Career

Strömbäck became a sub-lieutenant in the

in 1909. Strömbäck conducted Russian language studies in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

from 1913 to 1914 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1918. He attended the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1918 to 1921 and was a teacher there and at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College. Strömbäck was secretary of the 1929 Defense Investigation and expert assistance in the 1930 Defence Commission. Strömbäck was promoted to commander in 1933 and was head of department at the Naval Staff from 1933 to 1936. He was captain of the seaplane cruiser in 1936 and then head of the Naval Operations Department in the Defence Staff from 1937 to 1939. Strömbäck was promoted to captain in 1939 and served as

flag captain In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a " captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "Firs ...

from 1939 to 1941 and Chief of the Naval Staff from 1942 to 1945. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1943 and finally vice admiral in 1945. Strömbäck was Chief of the Navy from 1945 to 1953.

Personal life

In 1921, Strömbäck married Melanie Suchy (1892–1981). He was the father of Melanie (born 1922), Gudrun (born 1925) and Barbro (born 1927).

Death

Strömbäck died on 20 March 1960 in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

. The funeral service was held on 29 March 1960 in Skeppsholmen Church in Stockholm. He was interred on 31 March 1960 at

Galärvarvskyrkogården Galärvarvskyrkogården (literally Galley Shipyard Cemetery) is a cemetery on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden. It has about 1,300 burial sites and an area of approximately 0.9 hectares. History Galärvarvskyrkogården in Djurgår ...

in Stockholm.

Dates of rank

*28 October 1909 – Acting Sub-Lieutenant (''Underlöjtnant'') *31 October 1913 – Sub-lieutenant *6 December 1918 –

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

*12 December 1933 – Lieutenant commander *1 April 1937 –

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

*1 April 1939 –

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

*1 October 1943 –

Rear admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

*1 April 1945 –

Vice admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

Awards and decorations

Swedish

* King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1948) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_Grand_Cross_BAR

Commander Grand Cross of the

Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Or ...

(6 June 1945) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

(6 June 1944) * Order_of_the_Sword_-_Ribbon_bar

Knight of the

(1930) * Knight of the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 F ...

(1935) * Knight of the

Order of Vasa The Royal Order of Vasa () is a Swedish order of chivalry founded on 29 May 1772 by Gustav III, King Gustav III. It is awarded to Swedish citizens for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. His ...

(1926)

Foreign

* Grand Officer of the Order of Naval Merit (before 1950) * CHL_Order_of_Merit_of_Chile_-_Grand_Cross_BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

(before 1955) * DNK_Order_of_Danebrog_Grand_Cross_BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V of Denmark, Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single cla ...

(before 1947) * DNK_Order_of_Danebrog_Knight_1st_Degree_BAR

Knight of the

(before 1931) * 1st Class with a Grand Star with swords of the

Order of the Cross of Liberty The Order of the Cross of Liberty (; ) is one of three official state Order (decoration), orders in Finland, along with the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The awards of the Order of the Cross of Liberty ...

(before 1950) * FIN_Order_of_the_White_Rose_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland (; ) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The ...

FIN_Order_of_the_White_Rose_Commander_BAR

Commander 2nd Class of the

(before 1940) * FIN_Order_of_the_White_Rose_Knight_1st_Class_BAR

Knight 1st Class of the

(before 1931) * Legion_Honneur_GO_ribbon

Grand Officer of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

(before 1955) * MEX_Order_of_the_Aztec_Eagle_5Class_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the Aztec Eagle The Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle () forms part of the Mexican Honors System and is the highest Mexican order awarded to foreigners. History It was created by decree on December 29, 1933, by President Abelardo L. Rodríguez as a reward to ...

(before 1940) * Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Officer

Officer of the

Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau () is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has performed acts of special merits for ...

with swords (before 1940) * St Olavs Orden storkors stripe

Grand Cross of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

(1 July 1947) * POL_Polonia_Restituta_Wielki_BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

(before 1947) * POL_Polonia_Restituta_Oficerski_BAR

Officer of the

(before 1940) * Knight of the Cross of Naval Merit (before 1931) * DEU_Deutsche_Adlerorden_1_BAR

1st Class of the

Order of the German Eagle The Order of Merit of the German Eagle () was an award of the German Nazi regime, predominantly to foreign diplomats. The Order was instituted on 1 May 1937 by Adolf Hitler. It ceased to be awarded following the collapse of Nazi Germany at the e ...

(before 1942) * VEN_Order_of_the_Liberator_-_Grand_Officer_BAR

Grand Officer of the Order of the Liberator (before 1947)

Honours

*Member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences () is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden and was founded on 12 November 1796 by Gustaf Wilhelm af Tibell. The academy is an independent organization and a forum for military (army and air force) and de ...

(1939) *Honorary member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences (1943)

Bibliography

References

External links

Article in
'' Svenskt biografiskt lexikon''
Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stromback, Helge 1889 births 1960 deaths Swedish Navy vice admirals People from Delsbo Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences Members of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences Commanders First Class of the Order of the Sword Knights of the Order of the Polar Star Knights of the Order of Vasa Burials at Galärvarvskyrkogården