▁he ▁was ▁the ▁Ernest ▁J . ▁King ▁Professor ▁of ▁Mar itime ▁History ▁at ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁War ▁College ▁in ▁New port , ▁Rh ode ▁Island . ▁He ▁has ▁called ▁mar itime ▁history ▁" a ▁subject ▁that ▁touch es ▁on ▁both ▁the ▁greatest ▁moments ▁of ▁the ▁human ▁spirit ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁on ▁the ▁worst , ▁including ▁war ." ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Naval ▁War ▁College ▁announced ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁H att endorf ▁Prize ▁for ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Original ▁Research ▁in ▁Mar itime ▁History , ▁named ▁for ▁him . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁Oxford ▁Naval ▁Conference ▁- ▁" Strategy ▁and ▁the ▁Sea " ▁- ▁celebrated ▁his ▁distinguished ▁career ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 0 – 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁proceed ings ▁of ▁the ▁conference ▁were ▁published ▁as ▁a ▁fest schrift . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁H att endorf ▁received ▁the ▁higher ▁doctor ate ▁of ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Let ters ▁( D . L itt .) ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford . ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁few ▁Americans ▁to ▁have ▁received ▁such ▁design ation , ▁H att endorf ▁remained ▁act ively ▁engaged ▁on ▁the ▁Naval ▁War ▁College ▁campus ▁after ▁his ▁formal ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁Rem aining ▁in ▁scholar ly ▁service ▁as ▁the ▁Ernest ▁J . ▁King ▁Professor ▁Emer it us ▁of ▁Mar itime ▁History ▁at ▁the ▁Naval ▁War ▁College , ▁H att endorf ▁continued ▁gu iding ▁discuss ions ▁about ▁the ▁role ▁of