Precise movements of a "craft" apparently observing a large tank like structure.

I was born in 1945. When I was 15 years old I witnesses something ( along with a friend) that I can not explain. This has been on my mind for all these many years. I think it was a UFO.
Somewhere in the early eve while sitting outside talking my friend and I noticed an object in the sky.It was a cool autum eve.
As the crow flies it was about 1/2 mile away at the side of a large natural gas storage tank. It was silent and to my amazement it was all aglow and it seemed from where I stood that if there were molecules they were swirling around it.I think it was some kind of energy.  It did not apear overly large...maybe 20 feet in length or so.
It hovered at the side of the tank, moved horizontally then it moved straight up to the top of the tank and then at the top of the tank it moved a small bit horizontally again, hovered and then shot straight up into the night sky and disappeared.It surprised me due to the precise movements it made.Almost angular.
My friend ran home frightened but I was just in awe.
To this day I wonder what I saw.
Was there any UFO activity reported in the fall of 1960 or 1961 in the Buffalo NY area.
Thank you.
Witness indicates that the date of the incident is approximate.  PD