This Quilt of Valor was made by the Shasta QOVF Piecemakers chapter and was presented by Scarlett Rose to Dave Yoho, WWII merchant marine, at the American Merchant Marine Veterans Association National Convention for 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. All the merchant marine attending were invited to sign Dave's quilt as a remembrance of their common service.

Dave Yoho is the AMMV's strongest advocate and a public speaker for the AMMV cause for many years, even now in his 90s. He's been interviewed for the WWII museum digital collection at https://www.ww2online.org/view/david-yoho. Dave accepted the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to WWII Merchant Marine in 2023. This medal will be displayed at the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Please view the YouTube video of his speech is at https://youtu.be/0gMBAqvnals?si=wig9E5SuDjgIlaGs. The 2024 American Merchant Marine Veterans Convention is at the Higgins Hotel, across the street from the National WWII Museum. About 20 WWII merchant marine and Navy armed guard veterans are expected to attend. Several of the convention events will be held at the Museum. Dave Yoho entered US Maritime service in mid-1944 at the tender age of fifteen, falsifying his birth certificate to enlist. He spent the majority of his war time experience in the South Pacific assigned to the SS Great Meadows, a T2 tanker where he served as a fireman/water tender. When the war ended August 15, 1945, he received his discharge from the US Coast Guard, who at that time administered the paperwork for merchant marine servicemen. His ship, laden with oil, was sent through the Panama Canal and ended up in Great Britain. He came home in late 1945 and under the urging of the president, he continued to serve through 1946. He was promoted to junior engineer and served on two Victory ships which took cargoes to the devastated countries of Europe.