2nd Lt. Holley James Wimunc of Fayetteville, North Carolina and formerly of Dubuque, Iowa attended Hempstead High School and was a St. Ambrose University graduate earning a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. In May 2007, she was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army and was stationed as a nurse at Fort Bragg. Holley's family has a history of military service. Her father retired from the armed forces before he joined the staff at the University of Dubuque in 1994 where he serves as dean of admissions. She was in the Army Nurse Corps and had been at Fort Bragg for nearly a year. Holley was excited about both her chosen field of nursing and her career in the United States Army where she worked at the Womack Army Hospital's mother and baby ward. She is the mother of two children. She was motivated by her role as a single mother and worked hard to make a better life for her two children. Holley spent most of her childhood near Andrew, Iowa, a farming town of no more than 450 people with one gas station and a restaurant. She played on the community softball team, the school basketball and volleyball teams and was a cheerleader in 10th grade. She acted in school plays and played the clarinet in the band. While she was in the 10th grade in 2000, Holley transferred to Hempstead High School, a school of about 1,600 students in Dubuque, Iowa. As focus as he was, she he could also be spontaneous. Once, on a whim, she decided during the Iowa Association of Nursing Students convention to run for secretary. After giving a speech in front of the entire convention about her career goals and ambitions, she won the position. Holley was the victim of homicide. She was 24.

Army
Charlie Company
Fort Bragg, North Carolina