The emotional salute capped the former Merchant Marine veteran's reflection on the more than 16 million Americans who served in uniform after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the hundreds of thousands who never returned home.
Yoho, just 16 when he entered service, recalled the military lowered recruiting ages during the war because the country needed manpower.
"When you’re 16, you’re a child playfully in your streets, and the day you enter the military, that stops," he said, empathically pounding the lectern. "And our dedication to what was done is apparent."
"Your dedication, even you up there on the balconies," he continued, pointing through the raindrops to those attending his Memorial Day weekend speech, "your dedication to us is apparent, and we thank you when we kneel in obedience to our God and our maker."
Yoho spoke at the Japan struck Pearl Harbor and started what we called our war!
"We were a country of 130 million and we put 16,200,000 of them in uniform, and 440,000 of them didn't come home.
"And when you see a star representing 100 men, contemplate that each one of these people had an attachment to a mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister. They are our family. We stand on this hallowed ground. And we appreciate, despite the inclement weather, you have seen fit to be with us this day."
Merchant Marines had the "highest mortality rate of any" of the World War II armed forces, Yoho remembered.
"We lost 733 ships and the highest mortality rate of any group that served in that war, but God is great and God is good and he kept this old sucker alive," Yoho said. "I'm going to be 98 years old in six weeks and I take no apologies at any time for the time I take to tell you, without you, this wouldn't exist."
"I have a deep affection for everything here and what they stand for," he said.