The Exeter Incident

On September 3, 1965, multiple witnesses near Exeter, New Hampshire, observed a large, silent craft with brilliant pulsating lights. The case, involving police officers as witnesses, became one of the most famous UFO incidents of the era.

The First Witness

Norman Muscarello, 18, was hitchhiking home when a huge object with red lights approached him. He dove into a ditch as it passed overhead, then ran to a nearby house and eventually to the Exeter police station.

Police Investigation

Officer Eugene Bertrand accompanied Muscarello to the sighting location. There, they both saw the object: about 90 feet in diameter, with four or five pulsating red lights, moving silently through the air. Officer David Hunt, who arrived as backup, also witnessed the craft.

The Object

Witnesses described a dark object behind the lights, large enough to block out stars. It moved slowly, tilting and wobbling, and appeared to react to the witnesses before departing.

Investigation

The Air Force investigated and initially attributed the sighting to a military exercise. This explanation was rejected by the witnesses and later modified to “unidentified.”

The Book

Journalist John Fuller wrote “Incident at Exeter,” one of the first serious book-length UFO investigations. The case became a touchstone for UFO researchers.

Assessment

The Exeter incident combined multiple credible witnesses, police involvement, and a sustained observation. It remains one of the best-documented cases of the 1960s.