We asked, you answered: Do you believe the Exeter UFO story?

UFO Festival Pet Costume. Courtesy of the Exeter UFO Festival

By Katy Savage

September 4, 2025

A version of this story appeared in the Granite Post’s newsletter. Subscribe here.

The UFO incident is said to have happened in September 1965, when Norman Muscarello, an 18-year-old hitchhiker, reported seeing a huge, silent, glowing object with red lights near Exeter. Local police officers Eugene Bertrand Jr. and David Hunt later said they also witnessed the same strange craft hovering and moving erratically.

Their reports described a large, mysterious flying object that could not be explained by planes or weather. The case gained national attention and was investigated by the Air Force under Project Blue Book.

But the Pentagon dismissed it as “twinkling stars,” and Blue Book later blamed a military training mission.

We asked readers this week to share if they believe the Exeter UFO story. Here are some top responses:

👽 “I’m from Exeter, knew Musky (Norman’s nickname) and his girlfriend at the time (with whom I grew up), and saw the burned spot in the field shortly after the sighting. Our family also knew the police office who investigated the incident. It happened a couple miles from my childhood home. Mom and I drove down the road to see it ourselves. Yes, something really happened there.” — Suzanne Moulton-Gertig

👽 “I am a believer.” — Ellen Thompson

👽 “I think it was likely something.” — Jeanine C. Merrill

👽 “Yes, they are among us.” — Thomas Ronning

👽 Project Blue Book’s main reason for existing was to dismiss UFO sightings. If someone said they saw something I believe they did whether it was a UFO or not.” — Louann McNulty

Author

Katy Savage

Katy Savage is the Granite Post's newsletter editor. Katy is an award-winning reporter with more than 10 years of experience working in daily, weekly, and digital news organizations as both an editor and reporter. Katy is a New England native and has a passion for telling stories about where she grew up.

Have a story tip? Reach Katy at [email protected]. For local reporting in New Hampshire that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for Katy's newsletter.

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