In July 1945, the battle of Okinawa took place, leaving over 200,000 dead, among them over one-third of civilians who lived on the island. Okinawans had been forced to commit suicide by the Japanese military or be executed. Lawlessness was rampant on the island and refugees lived in the hills. A month later atomic bombs would fall on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and amid this turmoil the disappearance of three young Marines was barely noticed.
Their names were James D. Robinson (Savannah, Ga.), John M. Smith (Cincinnati), and Isaac Stokes (Chicago). Initially they were listed by military as deserters and then they were declared missing in action. They were all 19 years old.
