Who knows what was seen...but it left a mark!
Take the shot!
The distances between stars are so great that real, physical interstellar travel is probably the rarest thing in the universe. It probably only ever happens for the motive of escape. In particular, there is nothing you could possibly bring back from a trip to another star which would justify the cost.
Fall of ‘73? I had an unclose experience in Wisconsin then. Too close!
I recall that Jimmy Carter once reported a UFO. Could it have been during these many Georgia UFO sightings???
Well, yeah. It's not like we can tell everyone and also keep it secret from our potential enemies, too.
Of course, back then we trusted the American government to do the right thing...