The Exeter UFO Incident

On the early morning of September 3, 1965, teenager Norman Muscarello and two Exeter police officers witnessed a large, silent object with pulsating red lights hovering over a field in rural New Hampshire. The case became one of the best-documented UFO incidents of the 1960s.

Norman Muscarello’s Encounter

Eighteen-year-old Norman Muscarello was hitchhiking home along Route 150 around 2:00 AM when he observed a large object with brilliant red lights rise from behind a stand of trees.

The object moved erratically over a nearby field, approaching close enough that Muscarello dove into a ditch for cover. When the object retreated, he flagged down a passing car and asked for a ride to the Exeter police station.

Police Investigation

Officer Eugene Bertrand was dispatched to accompany Muscarello back to the location. As they stood in the field, the object reappeared, rising from behind trees with a rocking, leaf-falling motion.

The two watched as the massive object—estimated at 80-90 feet in diameter—hovered silently, its red lights pulsating in sequence. Bertrand later said it was unlike anything he’d seen in military service.

Officer David Hunt arrived as backup and also witnessed the object before it finally departed toward the ocean.

The Object

All three witnesses consistently described:

• Large, dark object (80-90 feet across)
• Five bright red lights in a row
• Lights pulsated in sequence (1-2-3-4-5, then 5-4-3-2-1)
• Silent operation
• Erratic, hovering movement
• Leaves and crops disturbed by its presence

Investigation

The Air Force investigated under Project Blue Book. Initially, they attributed the sighting to aircraft from a nearby Strategic Air Command refueling operation.

This explanation was rejected when investigation revealed no aircraft were operating in that area at that time. The case remained “unidentified” in official files.

The Book

Journalist John Fuller investigated the Exeter case extensively, interviewing dozens of area residents who reported similar sightings during that period. His 1966 book “Incident at Exeter” became a bestseller and brought widespread attention to the case.

Fuller found that the September 3 sighting was part of a concentrated wave of reports from the Exeter area throughout the fall of 1965.

Credibility Factors

The case is considered highly credible due to:

• Two trained law enforcement witnesses
• Independent civilian witness
• Multiple other area sightings during same period
• Official investigation
• Consistent, detailed descriptions

Legacy

The Exeter incident demonstrated that UFO sightings could involve multiple credible witnesses, resist official explanation, and withstand rigorous investigation. The case remains a cornerstone of 1960s UFO documentation.