We just didn't know it yet.

from:
  UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II
  The War in the Pacific
  OKINAWA: THE LAST BATTLE

The book is an amazing account of the battle, and is published in its entirety here:
http://www.history.army.mil/BOOKS/WWII/OKINAWA/

Page 471:
"At Tenth Army headquarters on the same morning, 22 June, representatives of the Tenth Army, the two
corps, and the divisions stood in formation, the band played "The Star Spangled Banner," and the color
guard raised the American flag over Okinawa. Near the top of the pole a sudden breeze swept the flag out full
against a blue and quiet sky."

Page 472, photograph caption:
"Raising the American Flag on 22 June denoted the end of organized resistance."

Page 238:
"During this disastrous day [April 20] the 2d Battalion lost fifty men killed and forty three wounded, nearly all of them in
Companies F and G. Total casualties of the 27th Division on 20 April amounted to 506 men-the greatest loss
for an Army division during any single day on Okinawa."

It was Companies F & G of the 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division, U.S. Army.  The total strength of F & G
was about 300 men.  My father was originally in Company G, but somehow got transferred to the 102nd
Combat Engineers, 27th Division, before 1943, perhaps saving his life. The 27th Division was originally
intended as a "floating reserve", but by mid April the fighting had become so fierce that the 27th Division was
called into action.

The battle lasted 82 days.

A memorial on the island, rows of stone walls surrounding a small, placid fountain, contains the names of over
240,000 people who died in the Battle of Okinawa, every officer, conscript and civilian - regardless of
nationality.

There is a lengthy but very interesting article regarding the history of Okinawa, the battle, and other pertinent
related contemporary issues here:

http://www.japanfocus.org/-Steve-Rabson/2667

My father didn't talk about the war much, but would answer questions if put to him.  Unfortunately, back then I didn't know what questions to ask.

In the early 50's on a trip back to New York, my grandmother turned up his wartime letters.  I told my father to take those letters home with us, but she refused to give them up.

When she passed away in 1982, my Aunt sent down some items, chairs, a statue, a vase.  But no letters.

If my Cousin had the letters when my Aunt passed, she would have sent them to me. 

I will never know what happened to them, or what was in them.  My father was a good writer, they may have contained some interesting items.