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Pearl Harbor survivor: NFL should fire players who don't stand for anthem

A local Pearl Harbor survivor is speaking out tonight against NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem.

TROY, Texas - A Peal Harbor survivor is speaking out tonight against NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem.

It is an issue that's divided the country this past week and has people around the country tuning in to the football games and social media.

World War II veteran and Troy resident 94-year-old J.C. Alston said the players who don't stand for the national anthem should be fired. Although he doesn't think President Trump should have said something about the players on television last week, he agrees with him and adds the players should respect the U.S. flag and the national anthem.

"So they ought to appreciate that they are living in a country where they can make that kind of money," Alston said. "And they ought to be proud to salute the flag and stand up for the National Anthem or whatever."

Alston said he was surprised by the NFL protests.

"Just look at what them people make that's doing that. And if it wasn't for the military, they wouldn't be here in the first place," Alston said.

Alston joined the U.S. Navy just months before the attacks on Pearl Harbor. He was on the USS California as Japanese planes attacked. He had to abandon ship during the strike. The sailor spent the war hopping from one island to another fighting the Japanese forces.

Alston said the situation reminds him of a situation at the Navy shipyard during WWII ship repairs.

"Well when we went in the Navy yard for repairs, some of the yard workmen then, they just keep working. But they didn't keep working long. They made them stand up, take care of the flag before they went back to work," he said. "And they didn't do that but one time because they did tell them if they don't stand up for the flag, when they come aboard the ship, they wouldn't be able to come aboard no more. They'd fire them. And we didn't have no trouble."

The Pearl Harbor survivor said more people in the country need to support the troops.

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