Staff Sergeant Burns was a member of the Military Police Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in Korea on December 6, 1950. For his leadership and valor, Staff Sergeant Burns was awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.