People

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

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.

UFO Festival Pet Costume. Courtesy of the Exeter UFO Festival

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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

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Colin Booth
Colin Booth Chief Political Correspondent
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