Karl Amundson

Who was Karl Amundson?

Karl Albert Byron Amundson, was a Swedish ballooner, military attaché and Major General.

Amundson was born in Grythyttehed, Grythyttan, Sweden the Son to Lieutenant Johan Albert Amundson and Alma Helena Albertina Godsknecht. Amundson became Second Lieutenant at the Fortification works in 1894, and was promoted to Captain in 1904. From 1911 to 1915 he was the Swedish military attaché in Paris and from 1913 to 1918 the one in Brussels. Amundson was promoted in 1915 to Major and was chosen the same year as a member of the Swedish Academy of War Sciences. He was head of the Field Telegraph Corps from 1915 to 1920 and 1924–25. He was head of the Svealand Engineer Corps from 1920 to 1924 and was promoted to Colonel in 1924 and Major General in 1925. He was head of the Swedish Air Force 1925–1931 and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences.

Amundson was in Paris during the year 1900 along with August Saloman to study balloons and aeronautics on the behalf of the Swedish coastal artillery and the Swedish Army. In December the same year he took part in the founding of a Swedish aeronautic society – or SAS – where he was the chairman from 1906 to 1911 and again 1930 to 1932. He resigned as general and chief of the Swedish Air Force 1931 as excerpted from the Swedish booklet 'KABA Nar Flyget Var Ungt' printed 1990 and written by Nils Soderberg in Flyghistorisk Revy 34, ISSN 0345-3415, by Swedish Aviation Historical Society.