Per Carleson

Per Hjalmar Ludvig Carleson (11 July 1917 – 8 June 2004) was a Swedish officer and épée fencer. Carleson was one of the founders of the Swedish Coastal Rangers.

Military career
Carleson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of captain Waldemar Carleson and his wife Gunnila Carleson. He grew up in Stockholm with four brothers. Early attention was paid to his great interest and aptitude for swimming. During high school years at Högre latinläroverket å Norrmalm, he became Swedish champion and record holder in the 100 m backstroke. After studentexamen in Stockholm in 1937, Carleson graduated from the Royal Swedish Naval Academy in 1940 and was the same year commissioned as an reserve officer with the rank of fänrik in the Swedish Coastal Artillery. In 1941, Carleson was commissioned as fänrik in the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment (KA 1), where he immediately started serving in a unit in the outermost coastline. Later he became commander of a training company in Vaxholm. After graduation from the Swedish Army Physical Training School (Arméns gymnastik- och idrottsskola), he was placed as a cadet and sports officer at the Royal Swedish Naval Academy. Carleson attended the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1944 to 1946, and then the staff and artillery course at the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1947 to 1949.

Carleson served in the Naval Staff from 1949 to 1953, in the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment from 1953 to 1954, in the Military Office of the Minister for Defence (Försvarets kommandoexpedition) from 1954 to 1956 and again in the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment from 1956 to 1957. He was involved in studies and planning for the creation of mobile ground combat forces in an archipelago environment and was given the opportunity to follow the education at a French amphibious school in Algeria and then undergo combat diver training in the Swedish Navy. As a result of an amphibious investigation, appointed by Sweden's Supreme Commander and boat investigations in the Naval Staff, the Chief of the Navy was commissioned by the Supreme Commander to carry out experimental training of mobile ground combat units in the archipelago. It was natural that the Coastal Artillery Inspector appointed the then captain Carleson to prepare and conduct this activity in 1956. He thus became the founder and first head of the Coastal Ranger School (1956–1957). Carleson's ideal instructor was, with his own words "skilful in hand-to-hand combat, skilled navigator of the archipelago, good at orienteering, preferably a combat diver, knowledgeable signaller and artillery observer, and also strong, durable and provided with good judgment".

Carleson was promoted to major in 1957 and served in the Defence Staff from 1957 to 1962. In 1962 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed chief of staff of the Norrland Coastal Artillery Defence (Norrlands kustartilleriförsvar, NK). In 1964, Carleson was promoted to colonel and appointed chief of Section 2 in the Naval Staff. Carleson was promoted to colonel 1st class in 1969 and was appointed commanding officer of the Gothenburg and Bohus Defence Area (Göteborgs och Bohus försvarsområde, Fo 32) and Halland Defence Area (Hallands försvarsområde, Fo 31) as well as commander of Gothenburg Coastal Artillery Defence (Göteborgs kustartilleriförsvar, GbK). He held this position until 1977.

Sports career
Carleson competed at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics and won two team medals, in 1948 and 1952. He was a Swedish Olympic flag bearer at the 1948 and 1956 Games.

Carleson started as a backstroke swimmer, and in the late 1930s held a national record and was a national champion over 100 m. Besides his Olympic achievements, he won three silver and three bronze medals at the world championships between 1947 and 1954.

Later life
He became president of Majorna's Rotary club in Gothenburg and governor of the district and Swedish representative in the international law council. For his efforts, he received the Paul P. Harris Fellow recognition and became honorary member of his own Rotary club. During his last year of life, he received an award that greatly pleased him. The voluntary education organization Förbundet Kustjägarna ("Coastal Ranger Association"), which was formed in 2003, handed over its newly established gold medal with number 1 to Carleson.

Personal life
In 1952, he married Karin Stenbeck (born 1906), the daughter of Magnus Ekstedt and Anna (née Hörman).

Dates of rank

 * 1941 – Fänrik
 * 19?? – Underlöjtnant
 * 19?? – Lieutenant
 * 19?? – Captain
 * 1957 – Major
 * 1962 – Lieutenant Colonel
 * 1964 – Colonel
 * 1969 – Colonel 1st Class

Awards, decorations and honours

 * Knight of the Order of the Sword
 * Swedish Fencing Federation's Medal of Merit and Elite Badge
 * Member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences (1966)