▁future ▁history ▁in ▁understanding ▁contemporary ▁strateg ic ▁problems ▁in ▁the ▁global ▁mar itime ▁ar ena . ▁ ▁Rec ogn izing ▁his ▁contributions ▁in ▁the ▁fields ▁of ▁mar itime ▁history ▁and ▁naval ▁strategy , ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Naval ▁War ▁College , ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Jeff rey ▁Har ley , ▁established ▁the ▁" John ▁B . ▁H att endorf ▁Center ▁for ▁Mar itime ▁Historical ▁Research " ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁H att endorf ▁Historical ▁Center ▁performs ▁the ▁mission ▁of ▁supporting ▁future ▁history ▁requirements ▁in ▁Professional ▁Military ▁Education ▁through ▁original ▁document ary ▁research , ▁scholar ly ▁publications , ▁public ▁education ▁programming , ▁and ▁direct ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁se ago ing ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy . ▁ ▁As ▁history ▁is ▁ ▁largely ▁un class ified , ▁the ▁H att endorf ▁Historical ▁Center ▁also ▁provides ▁historical ▁found ations ▁for ▁contemporary ▁discussion ▁in ▁the ▁interest ▁of ▁facil it ating ▁international ▁partners hips ▁in ▁the ▁global ▁mar itime ▁comm ons . ▁ ▁Family , ▁education , ▁and ▁early ▁life ▁H att endorf ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Western ▁Spr ings , ▁Illinois . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁nin th ▁great - grand son ▁( ele vent h ▁generation ▁desc endant ) ▁of ▁E lder ▁William ▁B rew ster ▁of ▁the ▁P ly mouth ▁Col ony . ▁His ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁ships ▁and ▁the ▁sea ▁stem med ▁from ▁sum mers ▁spent ▁at ▁his ▁family ▁c ott age ▁at ▁Port age ▁Point , ▁Michigan , ▁where