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Mawn was born in Scranton, [[Pennsylvania]], to Thomas Mawn (1881-1967), a railroad worker, and the late Elizabeth Mawn. He was conscripted into the Army in April 1941, when he was the 26-year-old manager of the soft goods department for a business in [[New York City]]. He was assigned to overseas duty with the 94th Infantry Division as a heavy machine gun platoon sergeant. He received a battlefield commission in March 1945 and was discharged six months later. Mawn's decorations included the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the [[Purple Heart]], the [[Bronze Star]], and four battle stars for combat in northern [[France]], the Ardennes Forest, the [[Rhineland]], and the Central European campaigns

Mawn was born in Scranton, [[Pennsylvania]], to Thomas Mawn (1881-1967), a railroad worker, and the late Elizabeth Mawn. He was conscripted into the Army in April 1941, when he was the 26-year-old manager of the soft goods department for a business in [[New York City]]. He was assigned to overseas duty with the 94th Infantry Division as a heavy machine gun platoon sergeant. He received a battlefield commission in March 1945 and was discharged six months later. Mawn's decorations included the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the [[Purple Heart]], the [[Bronze Star]], and four battle stars for combat in northern [[France]], the Ardennes Forest, the [[Rhineland]], and the Central European campaigns

In 1946, Mawn rejoined the Army and was stationed in [[Osaka]] with the 25th Infantry Division during General [[Douglas MacArthur]]'s occupation of [[Japan]]. In 1951-1952, he was a heavy weapons company commander in [[South Korea,]] having earned his second Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Army Commendation Metal, a cluster to his Bronze Star, and three battle stars. He was stationed at Fort Chaffee from 1952 to 1957 as information officer. When Mawn was sent to Germany, [[Arlie Metheny]], another information office, coordinated Presley's induction at Fort Chaffee..

In 1946, Mawn rejoined the Army and was stationed in [[Osaka]] with the 25th Infantry Division during General [[Douglas MacArthur]]'s occupation of [[Japan]]. In 1951-1952, he was a heavy weapons company commander in [[South Korea]], having earned his second Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Army Commendation Metal, a cluster to his Bronze Star, and three battle stars. He was stationed at Fort Chaffee from 1952 to 1957 as information officer. When Mawn was sent to Germany, [[Arlie Metheny]], another information office, coordinated Presley's induction at Fort Chaffee..

In a striking irony, Mawn was with the 3rd Armored Division in Frankfurt, Germany, at the time Presley arrived there for duty. He organized the military press conference for Presley. While in Germany, Presley held a dozen press conferences, with arrangements directed by John Mawn, who spent much of the following eighteen months answering repeated media inquiries about Presley, the soldier. He was assigned by the military to Paramount Pictures as technical adviser for ''G.I. Blues'', Presley's fifth film and the first since he was discharged from the Army. It was also the first Presley picture directed by Hal B. Wallis.

In a striking irony, Mawn was with the 3rd Armored Division in Frankfurt, Germany, at the time Presley arrived there for duty. He organized the military press conference for Presley. While in Germany, Presley held a dozen press conferences, with arrangements directed by John Mawn, who spent much of the following eighteen months answering repeated media inquiries about Presley, the soldier. He was assigned by the military to Paramount Pictures as technical adviser for ''G.I. Blues'', Presley's fifth film and the first since he was discharged from the Army. It was also the first Presley picture directed by Hal B. Wallis.

''Stars and Stripes'', the Army newspaper, reported that a hundred soldiers worked as extras in the film, only one of whom had acting experience. It credited Mawn with finding a Presley look-alike, PFC Thomas W. Creel, the same age as Presley and a fellow [[Mississippi]] native. Creel, who came from Laurel in the southeastern portion of the state, lip-synced Presley on film. Mawn, meanwhile, returned to Fort Chaffee in 1961 and retired from the Army a year later.  

''Stars and Stripes'', the Army newspaper, reported that a hundred soldiers worked as extras in the film, only one of whom had acting experience. It credited Mawn with finding a Presley look-alike, PFC Thomas W. Creel, the same age as Presley and a fellow [[Mississippi]] native. Creel, who came from Laurel in the southeastern portion of the state, lip-synced Presley on film. Mawn, meanwhile, returned to Fort Chaffee in 1961 and retired from the Army a year later.  

In 1964, Mawn accepted the position of public affairs officer with the [[Little Rock]] District of the [[United States Army Corps of Engineer]]s, having handled press-related matters for the Arkansas River navigation project procured by the state's congressional delegation. He retired from civil service in 1979.  

In 1964, Mawn accepted the position of public affairs officer with the [[Little Rock]] District of the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]], having handled press-related matters for the Arkansas River navigation project procured by the state's congressional delegation. He retired from civil service in 1979.  

After the death of his wife of forty-five years, Helen L. Mawn (1916-1998), formerly of [[Kansas]], Mawn moved in 1989 to St. Petersburg, [[Florida]]. Failing health compelled him to return to Fort Smith in 2000 to be near his daughters, Karney M. More and Joan E. Mawn. He also had a son, John Mawn, Jr., and wife, Sherrill, of Gonzales in Ascension Parish near [[Baton Rouge]] in south [[Louisiana]], three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

After the death of his wife of forty-five years, Helen L. Mawn (1916-1998), formerly of [[Kansas]], Mawn moved in 1989 to St. Petersburg, [[Florida]]. Failing health compelled him to return to Fort Smith in 2000 to be near his daughters, Karney M. More and Joan E. Mawn. He also had a son, John Mawn, Jr., and wife, Sherrill, of Gonzales in Ascension Parish near [[Baton Rouge]] in south [[Louisiana]], three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.