Wilburn Eugene Furr was born at Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina on January 30, 1920. He was one of at least five children of Arthur Jason Furr Sr (6 Oct 1896 – 26 Mar 1981) and Eva Lola (Blackwelder) Furr (23 Jun 1896 – 18 May 1973), who were born at Concord, North Carolina. His parents married at Concord, North Carolina on July 8, 1914. His father worked as a weaver at Canon Mills Textile Company in Concord. Wilburn Furr also worked there. His home of record was Route #1, Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina. His family lived on Rocky River Road, just south of Concord.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 12, 1942, and entered Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 43-G. He completed the Primary phase of pilot training at Fort Stockton, Texas, and the Basic phase at Pecos Army Air Field, Texas. He completed the Advanced phase (site unknown) and received his wings and commission on July 28, 1943. He was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew Lt Edgar L. Fuller in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. The Fuller crew completed B-24 crew training with the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. They flew B-24H 42-52609 from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

By August 1944 the 487th Bomb Group transitioned to flying the B-17 'Flying Fortress'; and by September 1944 Lt Furr was assigned as copilot on the crew of Lt Harold E. Oesch in the 836th Bomb Squadron.

On September 30, 1944, the 487th Bomb Group took off from Lavenham Airfield to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Bielefeld, Germany. The Oesch crew flew B-17G 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' on this mission. Lt Furr and seven of his crew mates were killed in action when their aircraft collided with another aircraft just after bombs away over Bielefeld. Apparently Lt Oesch, flying in the number 7 position of the Low Squadron, was caught in prop wash turbulence during the descending turn away from the target. His aircraft flipped over on its back and collided with B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle', piloted by Lt Raymond F. Jackson, who was flying in the number 9 position. (Note: This is based on an eyewitness account, and differs from the report in MACR 9423.) 'Liberty Belle' lost its outboard starboard wing, and both ships went down. Lt Zalneraitis, bombardier on the Oesch crew, was able to parachute safely and survived as a prisoner of war. Seven members of the Jackson crew were killed; two survived.

After the war, Lt Furr's remains were returned to the United States and reinterred at Oakwood Cemetery in Concord, North Carolina.

B-17G 43-38154 crew:
• Oesch, Harold E – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Furr, Wilburn E – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Miller Jr, Henry J – 1/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Zalneraitis, Vitold A – 1/Lt – Bombardier – POW
• Volavka, Melo – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Stanley, Martin E – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Graves, Hudie E – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Green, Willard A – S/Sgt – Tail Gunner – KIA
• Focht, William J – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – KIA

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com