The Salem Coast Guard UFO photograph

On 16 July 1952 two Coast Guard men at Salem reported bright lights outside a window, and one photographed them. Investigators later blamed reflections.

On the morning of 16 July 1952 Shell Alpert, a Coast Guard photographer aged 21 at the Salem air station, was working when he noticed something bright outside. In his written statement he says he was filing negatives in the photo office with his back to the window. Looking out, he saw a cluster of bright lights, nearly brilliant, just to starboard of the power plant smokestacks. A press release of August 1952 repeats his account.

The Blue Book report says that at 1145 hours that day the station's commanding officer, Commander J.F. McCue, telephoned to say two of his crew had watched unusual airborne objects around 0935 hours, and one had photographed them. Special Agent Richard Randall then took down the details.

The first analysis was different from the last. In October 1963 Project Blue Book, a military UFO study, returned to the photo and decided it showed reflections of a light inside the room, likely the ceiling lamps, on the window the shot was taken through. By that account the picture was no hoax.