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Coordinates: 42°31′42″N 70°52′09″W / 42.52833°N 70.86917°W / 42.52833; -70.86917

Coast Guard Air Station Salem
Coast Guard Air Station Salem patch
Coast Guard Air Station Salem Patch
Active 1935-1970
Country United States
Branch United States Coast Guard
Type Air Station
Role To patrol the Northeast coast from Canada to New York City
Winter Island Salem, Massachusetts
Engagements World War II
Cold War
Aircraft flown
Helicopter Sikorsky HOSS, HO3S, HO3S, HH-52A Army Mule
Patrol Vought_UO4, Fokker PJ-1, Widgeons, Grumman Goose, Kingfisher, Corsair, PBM-5, PBY, Grumman HU-16, Piasecki HRP-1, UF-1G Albatross,
Trainer Link Trainer

Coast Guard Air Station Salem was a United States Coast Guard air station located in Salem, Massachusetts. Its area of coverage extended from New York City to the Canadian border.

Mission[]

The air station's missions included search and rescue, law enforcement, counting migratory waterfowl for the U.S. Biological Survey and assisting icebound islands by delivering provisions.[1]

Operations[]

Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Salem was located on Winter Island in Salem, Massachusetts at 42°31′35″N 70°52′07″W / 42.52639°N 70.86861°W / 42.52639; -70.86861.

History[]

With little room to expand at Gloucester, a new air station was established at Salem in 1935. Salem CGAS as it became to be known was built with a barracks, hangar, a tarmac, and a ramp.

Aerial view of Coast Guard Air Station Salem in 1952

Aerial view of CGAS Salem, 1952

In 1950, Air Detachment Quonset Point, Rhode Island was established as a sub unit of Air Station Salem. During the 1950s, helicopters were introduced with a great deal of success as a rescue platform.

With the development of the HH-52A, an amphibious helicopter, the need for a flying boat was lessened. Therefore, air stations having only water landing capabilities, such as Salem, were phased out. It was eventually replaced by Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod in 1970.[2] The station's surviving facilities are part of Salem's Winter Island Marine Park.

On JULY 16, 1952 - At 09:35 A.M., the witness, Shell Alpert, took a photograph of four roughly elliptical blobs of light in formation through the window of his photographic laboratory. Alpert was a Coast Guard seaman assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Salem. This photo has appeared numerous times in the Salem (MA) Evening News. Finally, the case was considered "unexplained" by Project Blue Book. [1] [2] [3] [4]

References[]

External links[]

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