James "Red" Duke

Who is James "Red" Duke?

James Henry "Red" Duke, Jr. is a trauma surgeon and professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. He has been working on-site since 1972.

Duke was born in Ennis, Texas. He attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas where he served as a yell leader. He was the first person to deliver the poem "The Last Corps Trip" publicly.

Duke has had years of achievement in the field of medicine. He was instrumental in introducing Memorial Hermann's "Life Flight" and bringing a Level 1 Trauma Unit to Houston, both of which was first for Texas and Southeast Texas, respectively. Outside of Texas, he is probably most famous for running a nationally syndicated television spot called "Dr. Red Duke's Health Reports", which aired for fifteen years. The spot educated millions about various health-related topics, a different subject for each day. He is well-recognized for his distinctive Texan accent, ever-present large mustache and "Duke-isms".

Duke was also the first surgeon to receive President John F. Kennedy after being shot and taken to Dallas Parkland Hospital, and attended to the wounds of then Texas Governor John Connally, who was shot at the same time John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.