USS Burns (DD-171) was a Wickes-class destroyer built for the United States Navy during World War I.

The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) intended to reach a speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).

The ships carried 225 long tons (229 t) of fuel oil which was intended gave them a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).

Burns was attached to Destroyer Force, Pacific, until March 1920 when she was ordered to special duty as a tender for NC Seaplane Division.

Returning to Pearl Harbor, she participated in mining and gunnery practice, and acted as a high-speed target for submarines in Hawaiian waters until November 1929.