John Derrick "Cowboy" Halls was born on March 24, 1922 in Mancos, Montezuma County Colorado, USA t0 parents Francis William & Doris Hazel Mincher Halls.

Halls enlisted in the Army in 1942 at Pueblo, Colorado. After training, Halls qualified as a paratrooper at Fort Benning, and headed to England in 1943, to await further orders.

He then jumped into Normandy on June 6, 1944. He landed around the town of Ste. Mere-Eglise. He met up with 1st Lt. Richard D. Winters of Easy Company, and identifies himself as being from Able Company, and was a radioman, except he lost his radio during the jump. After meeting up with other men from E Company, and two others from the 82nd Airborne Division, Halls and the rest of his group came to the town of Ste. Marie-du-Monte.

Lt. Winters of Easy Company was assigned to lead an attack on Brecourt Manor. During the attack, Halls and Loraine from Service Company joined in the attack. Halls supplied the men with TNT to take out the guns, during the engagement Halls was killed by either rifle fire or a land mine (both are listed from various sources).

Halls died on June 6, 1944 in Department du Calvados Basse-Normandie, France. He was buried in Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

John D Halls was also featured in Steven Spielberg's Band of Brothers.

Note:  There is often confusions between PFC John D HALLS (81mm Mortar Platoon) and the Tech5th Class John D HALL (HQ COMPANY 1st Battalion 506th PIR 101st Airborne). The second one died in the crash of his C-47 that took place in PICAUVILLE. John D HALL was at first buried in BLOSVILLE and then, his remains returned to the United States.