The Salem Coast Guard Photograph of 1952

On July 16, 1952, at the peak of the greatest UFO wave in American history, Coast Guard photographer Shell R. Alpert captured an image that would become one of the most famous and widely published UFO photographs of the era. From the Coast Guard Air Station in Salem, Massachusetts, Alpert photographed four bright objects in V-formation through his window. The image was officially investigated by Project Blue Book and became a defining image of the 1952 flap.

The Witness

Shell R. Alpert

His credentials:

• Coast Guard photographer
• Professional image maker
• Station duty at Salem
• Trained in photography
• Official documentation role

Professional Context

Why his account matters:

• Military photographer
• Experience with cameras
• Knew what he was photographing
• Official position
• No hoax motive apparent

The Sighting

Time and Location

The circumstances:

• Date: July 16, 1952
• Time: 9:35 AM
• Location: Coast Guard Air Station, Salem
• Clear conditions
• Daylight observation

The Observation

What Alpert saw:

• Four bright objects
• V-formation arrangement
• Visible in daylight
• Moving or hovering
• Distinctive appearance

The Photograph

Technical Details

How it was taken:

• Through window screen
• Using available camera
• Daylight exposure
• Single frame captured
• Immediate documentation

What It Shows

The image depicts:

• Four bright lights
• Arranged in V-formation
• Against light sky
• Distinct separation
• Clear formation pattern

Window Screen Effect

Notable element:

• Photo taken through screen
• Creates distinctive pattern
• Adds to image texture
• Confirms indoor vantage point
• Verifies claimed circumstances

1952 Wave Context

Peak Activity Period

The timing:

• July 1952 - height of wave
• Washington D.C. flap same month
• Nationwide sightings
• Public interest intense
• Military concern high

Salem’s Contribution

This photo’s role:

• Added to body of evidence
• Professional witness
• Military source
• Published widely
• Part of historical record

Investigation

Project Blue Book

Official examination:

• Photo submitted for analysis
• Part of 1952 case files
• Evaluated with other evidence
• No definitive conclusion
• Filed for record

Analysis Attempts

What was determined:

• Authentic photograph
• No obvious manipulation
• Objects unidentified
• Conventional explanations sought
• None conclusively applied

Publication

Media Distribution

The photo’s reach:

• Widely reproduced
• Newspaper publication
• Magazine features
• Book inclusions
• Became iconic image

Cultural Impact

Its significance:

• Visual proof concept
• 1952 wave symbol
• Referenced for decades
• Part of UFO imagery canon
• Historical documentation

Analysis

Authenticity Factors

Supporting elements:

• Military photographer
• Official circumstances
• Window screen confirms setting
• No retouching evident
• Contemporary documentation

Interpretation Challenges

Unresolved questions:

• What were the objects?
• Aircraft formation?
• Atmospheric phenomenon?
• Unknown craft?
• No definitive answer

The Question

July 16, 1952. Salem, Massachusetts.

Shell Alpert is at his post. Coast Guard Air Station. Professional photographer. Camera at the ready.

Something catches his eye. Outside the window. In the morning sky.

Four bright objects. Arranged in a perfect V-formation. Hovering or moving through the Massachusetts air.

He does what any photographer would do. He shoots.

Through the window screen, he captures them. Four points of light. Unmistakably present. Unmistakably strange.

This is July 1952. The biggest UFO wave in American history is cresting. In a few days, objects will appear over Washington D.C. itself. The nation is watching the skies.

And here, in Salem, a Coast Guard photographer has just added to the evidence.

The Salem photograph.

One of the most widely published UFO images of its time. Four objects in formation. Captured by a military professional.

What were they?

Aircraft flying in formation, catching the sun just right?

Something else entirely?

The photo doesn’t answer. It just shows what was there.

Four bright objects.

V-formation.

Over Salem, Massachusetts.

July 16, 1952.

Part of the wave that changed how America thought about UFOs.

One photograph.

A thousand questions.

No answers.

Just the image.

Still there.

Still unexplained.

Still waiting for interpretation.