Private Wilbourn was a member of the 187th Airborne Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was Killed in Action during an airborne assault on Seoul, South Korea on 25 March 1951.

Wilbourn was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.