The commander of the U.S. Pacific Command took aim at Colin Kaepernick's ongoing protests against the national anthem while delivering remarks Wednesday at a a memorial ceremony for the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Admiral Harry Harris Jr. gave a speech in remembrance of those who lost their lives on Dec. 7, 1941, during the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor that brought the U.S. into World War II.
"You can bet that the men and women that we honor today and those who died that fateful morning 75 years ago never took a knee and never failed to stand whenever they heard our national anthem being played," Harris told the gathering in Hawaii.
The remark drew a standing ovation.
"Hearing the words 'the land of the free and home of the brave' means something special for every American, every day," Harris added later in the speech. "But today, on Dec. 7, it takes on extraordinary significance."
Kaepernick, an NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has been the subject of much controversy this season. His decision to kneel during the national anthem before every game, which he says is a protest against systemic racism in the United States, coupled with his poor on-field performance has drawn significant scrutiny.
Harris, a four-star admiral who assumed command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in 2015, had a father and four uncles serve in World War II, according to the New York Post.