Individual Details

Death

Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Furr of 1410 Sunny Hill Lane, Ridgewood Park, Upper Darby, was notified by the Navy Department that her husband, Machinist Mate 1/c Oscar Harry Furr, 40, a Naval Reserve man, is dead. A native of Hay Market, Va., Furr had served 17 years in the Navy before he was retired in 1936. He was employed in the Philadelphia Navy Yard until he was recalled to duty last April. Mrs. Furr said her husband had been on “shore duty” until Oct. 26 when he went to sea. That was the last time she saw him. Furr's mother Mrs. Rachel Furr resides in Hay Market where his father, Harry Furr, died less than a month ago. Besides his wife and mother, the Navy man leaves two children, Richard, 11 years, and Mary Louise, seven years. He is also survived by four brothers and two sisters, all residing in the south.
Delaware County Daily Times, Chester, Pennsylvania, December 31, 1942

Oscar Harry Furr was serving aboard USS Tasker H. Bliss (AP 42) under Captain Cdr. Gerald L. Schetky. The ship was participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. The Naval Battle of Casablanca delayed off-loading cargo, and postponed departure from the Moroccan coast. On the evening of 12 November, she was riding at anchor in Fedhala Roads in the Task Group 34.9 (Center Attack Group, Western Naval Task Force) as part of the convoy UGF-1 when the German submarine U-130 commanded by Ernst Kals slipped in among the ships. At 18.28 hours on 12 Nov, 1942, U-130 fired five torpedoes on three transports (USS Edward Rutledge (AP 52), USS Hugh L. Scott (AP 43) and USS Tasker H. Bliss (AP 42). All torpedoes hit their targets, causing the first and the second ship to sink quickly. USS Tasker H. Bliss burned until 02.30 hours the next morning and finally sank. U-130 reported her victims by their former civilian names. Most of the dead were not recovered or could be identified. Left to mourn the loss of Otris as he was lovingly called by his family were his wife Catherine Furr, his daughter Mary Louise Furr, his parents Harry Furr and Rachael Leach Furr, three sisters Mabel, Agnes and Myrtle Furr and four brothers, Harry W Furr, Clarence L Furr, Forest Furr and Elwood Harold Furr.