Painting by Doc Bernie Duff

I went up to Grand Haven, Michigan this weekend to interview Vietnam War veteran “Doc” Bernie Duff. Doc served as a medic in central Vietnam during the war and first returned to Vietnam in 2005. He was so moved by the people he met there that as soon as he got back to the States, he liquidated his home and moved to Saigon. Today, Doc and his wife, Bao Anh, work with impoverished children and Agent Orange victims in Vietnam.

Doc is an accomplished artist and sells his paintings in order to help fund his work in Vietnam. Many of his pieces incorporate sand and textiles from Vietnam, giving them a three-dimensional quality. Doc heads back to Vietnam soon, so I’m glad I got to see his paintings in person before he packed them up.

If you’d like to learn more about Doc and the thousand mile walk he made across Vietnam to raise awareness and funds for Agent Orange victims, check out this segment I produced on Chicago Public Radio back in 2008.

Painting by Doc Bernie Duff

Painting by Doc Bernie Duff