In 1910 Nordenskiöld started his military career as a volunteer in the Svea Life Guards (I 1), later attending the Royal Swedish Army Staff College.

[1] He was a sea cadet from 1907 to 1908 and passed mogenhetsexamen at Lunds privata elementarskola on 10 June 1910 before enlisting as a volunteer at the Svea Life Guards (I 1) the day after.

He was promoted to major general on 6 June 1941[2] - as the youngest officer in modern Swedish history - which received great attention in the media.

It was with this aircraft he crashed during a start from the Swedish Air Force Flying School (F 5), and was badly injured but survived.

[3] When the post of Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces would be appointed in 1951, Nordenskiöld was one of the candidates that were considered by the government.

According to Tage Erlander's diaries, his name was dropped because of his impetuous temper and his propensity to make own foreign policy statements.

Nordenskiöld died on 28 January 1983 in Österhaninge and was buried in Southern Cemetery next to Kalmar Castle accompanied by his parents and later his two children.