Private First Class Burney was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 1 September 1950 and returned to duty on 24 September 1950. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 26 September 1950.

Burney was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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.