General Gunderson was born in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1923, and served two years with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the early years of World War II. He joined the US Army Air Forces in London in 1943. During the war, he served with the 8th Air Force in England as combat crew and group staff navigator in B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator aircraft, logging more than 50 combat missions.

During his 30-year US Air Force career, General Gunderson held important operational and staff planning positions in the USAF's Strategic Air Command, HQs Fifth Air Force (Japan and Korea), and HQ USAF (Washington, DC). After serving a tour with NATO (SACLANT), he served as Executive Assistant to three successive Secretaries of the Air Force.

Following a tour as Chief of Staff, United States Air Forces in Europe, he completed his career as Chief of the Office of Air Force History. In the latter assignment, he played a key role in establishing special oral and written history programs designed to document and evaluate the USAF's role and activities in Southeast Asia.

Following his retirement in 1974, he became active with the Air Force Historical Foundation, serving as its president from 1983 to 1987. He served as editor of its journal, "Air Power History," and also wrote and edited articles and books on Air Force history.

His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Army and Air Force Commendation Medals.

Until his death in 2004, General Gunderson enjoyed participating in several World War II reunion groups, speaking to organizations on a variety of Air Force historical topics, and expanding his personal library on military aviation.