Three greenish lights well off the coast of Miami.

I was, at the time, a merchant seaman on lookout on the bow of a tanker.  It was long ago, so I am not sure which ship I was on, but I believe it was The Alaskan.  
On lookout it was my job to scan the horizon, but I spent a lot of time scanning the sky.  When I saw the three lights I thought they were spotlights from shore on clouds, but then I realized there were no clouds in the area.  
I called up to the bridge, and the mate on duty said he and the helmsman saw them also.  The lights were a slightly greenish color and moved around quickly, then sped off, north.  We awakened the radio operator,  but he waited until the morning to report it.  He said there were sightings from Florida to Maine.  
I wish I couild tell you why I waited so long to report this --I guess I felt I had, having told the radio operator.  It isn't easy to tell people that you've seen a UFO.  
I was watching a show on the subject last night, and decided I should tell sombody.  I have been, since then, a high school math teacher and editor.
Witness indicates that the date of the incident is approximate.  PD