House Armed Services Committee hearing on UFOs, April 5, 1966

6055
close to the ground. Several persons apparently observed it, three of them, in-
cluding two policemen, at one time.
The conclusion of Project BlVe Book-the name of the Air Force UFO probe
that announces the final verdicts on sightings-that the New Hampshire watchers
saw low-flying airplanes, is of a piece with many other Air Force attempted
explalnings away. It doesn't make sense.
The New Hampshire sighting Is of significance on another ground. It involves
the reported effect of a UFO in disturbing and exciting animals.
The sequence of events near Exeter began at I o'clock in the morning of last
September 3 when Exeter Police Officer Eugene P. Bertrand, Jr., 30, cruising in
his police car, came upon an auto drawn up by the side of the road and in it an
hysterical woman, who according to the officer's report to the investigative officer
from Pease Air Force Base, N.H., "stated she was too upset to drive." She
stated a light had been following her and had stopped over her car." The officer
stayed with her about 15 minutes, sought to reassure her, saw nothing, and
departed for the police station.
There he foutid Norman J. Muscarello, 18, of Exeter who had come to the sta-
tion to tell of his experience while a few miles out of Exeter. He said some-
thing big with dazzling, flashing red lights had appeared moving just above the
treetops. It had moved rather slowly toward him. He had jumped Into the
ditch for safety. Then the thing had disappeared.
Officer Bertrand took Muscarello with hint in his patrol car and they returned
to the field where Muscareilo hfad had his alarming experience. They both got
out of the car and walked into the field, Bertrand having a flashlight. At: this
point Officer Bertrand's report to an examining officer at Pease AFB can be
taken up.
"When we had gone about 50 feet a group of five bright red lights came from
behind a group of trees near us. They were extremely bright and flashed one
at a time.
"At one time they came so close I fell to the ground and started to draw my
gun. The lights were so bright I was unable to make out any form.
"There was no sound or vibration but the farm-animals were upset in the
area and making a lot of noise. When the lighfs started coming near us again
Muscarello-and I ran for the car. * * *
"I radioed Patrolman David Hunt who arrived in a few minutes. He also
observed the lights which were still over the field at an estimated altitude of 100
feet and finally disappeared in the distance at the same altitude. The lights
were always in line at about 600 angle. When the object moved the lower lights
were always forward of the others."
In this case the Air Force, which generally appears to hang back from much
investigating of UFO reports, did do some investigating. It interviewed the
sighters and neighbors.
The Pease AFB officer, who headed this local military probe and who, by the
way, was a commatd pilot, made this finding:
"At this time have been unable to arrive at a probable cause of this sighting.
The three observers seem to be stable, reliable persons, especially the two patrol-
men. I viewed the area of the sighting and hf6tniithing In the area that could
be the probable cause. Pease AFB had five B-47 aircraft flying in therea during
this period but do not believe they had any connection with this sighting."
However, Project Blue Book lists low-flying airplanes as probably responsible
for this Exeter sighting. Maj. HectorQuifntanilla, in charge of Blue Book, states
that the 8th Air Force SAC (Strategic Air Command) group at Westover Air
Force Base, Mam, was conducting a low-level operation, called Big 'liast, at
the time. He said he believes the Exeter "people were looking at low-level
aircraft."
The effect of a UFO on animals had been reported in a New York State case
about 2 weeks before the Exeter event. An investigating officer from the
Niagara Falls Air Force Base, commenting on the sighting of a low-down UFO
near Cherry Creek, N.Y., on August 19, said:
"Preliminary analysis reveals object not explainable in conventional terms.
Object caused reduction in farm cows' milk from 2% cans to 1 can. Disturbed
bull in field. Caused dog to bark." This sighting, by the way, is one of the
very few that Project Blue Book has marked "Unidentified."
The Exeter UFO produced a fairly familiar charge; namely that the Air
Force sought to suppress news of the sighting. In this instance the charge
came from Raymond Fowler, of Wenham, Mass., head of a local area NICAP