Chevron shaped retinal after-image after looking at the sun with eyes closed.

This is really a report of 3 observations of chevron shaped lights.
1.  In the late 70s, there was a report of strange night-time lights published in the newspaper we received at our rural home.  This must have been the Des Moines Register.  They included a photo in the report.  My memory of the photo is that it showed about 5 chevron shaped white lights against a black sky.  The chevon shapes (shallow Vs) each had one very distinctive characteristic; one side of each V had an offset, or kink, in it — it wasn’t straight.  This offset was in just one side.  The other side of the V was straight.  It should be possible to find this document; however,  I’m afraid my estimate when this happened is +/- several years.
2.  A short time later, perhaps a month or two, I was outside and looked up at the sun with my eyes closed.  I noticed nothing unusual, but when I looked away I saw several vivid and sharp chevron shaped retinal after-images.  There were about 3.  They were the exact same shape as those in the newspaper report.  The retinal after-images slowly faded and were gone in a minute or so.  The approximate date and time of this observation is what I entered on the report form.
3.  About 2 years ago, I was outside my current home.  It was sunny but I did not look at the sun. Suddenly a chevron shaped after-image appeared.  There was only 1 V this time.   It was similar to those I saw 40 years earlier but not identical.  One side of the V was straight and the other was not.  But instead of a simple offset it was wrinkled.
Witness indicates that the date of the event is approximate.  PD