On 16 September 1940 the 117th Infantry Regiment from Tennessee was inducted into federal service at home stations for a period of one year.
The regiment was moved by train and arrived in Fort Jackson South Carolina on 24 September 1940 as part of the 30th Division once again.
The regiment was housed in pyramid tents at Fort Jackson.
Colonel Grant A. Schlieker assumed command of the regiment on 12 August 1940.
In October 1940, the unit was filled by Selective Service with men primarily from the Knoxville area.

The 117th Infantry moved by motor convoy to Dixie, Tennessee on 27 May 1941 for the VII Corps Tennessee Maneuvers.
The regiment returned to Fort Jackson on 5 July 1941.
The regiment along with the rest of the National Guard soldiers inducted in 1940 was extended for the duration of World War II.
The regiment then moved to Chester, South Carolina on 27 September 1941 for both the October and November 1941 Carolina Maneuvers.
The 117th Infantry Regiment as part of the 30th Division returned to Fort Jackson on 29 November 1941 where the 30th (Old Hickory) Division was redesigned as the 30th Infantry Division.

On 16 February 1942 the 30th Infantry Division arrived at Camp Blanding, Florida for extensive Infantry Training.
On 12 September 1942, the 117th Infantry Regiment was ordered to the Infantry School, located at Fort Benning, Georgia, to furnish troops for demonstration purposes and to assist instructors in the training of officer classes and the Officer Candidate School (OCS).
The 117th Infantry Regiment moved back to Camp Blanding, Florida by motor convoy on 28 February 1943 to conduct training designed to physically harden the troops.

They moved on 30 May 1943 to Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Starting on 4 September 1943, the regiment participated in the Second Army's No.3 Tennessee Maneuvers.
On 7 September 1943 the 117th Infantry Regiment returned to Camp Forrest (Arnold AFB today), near Tullahoma, Tennessee.

The 117th Infantry Regiment arrived at Camp Atterbury, Indiana on 14 November 1943 to complete their final phase of training.
The 117th Infantry Regiment departed Camp Atterbury and arrived at the staging area in Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts on 29 January 1944.
The regiment departed from the Port of Boston, which was the Port of Embarkation, on the USS John Ericsson on 12 February 1944.
The 117th Infantry Regiment disembarked in Liverpool, England on 24 February 1944.

In England, from 25 February, to 5 April 1944 the regiment was quartered in Nissen huts near Petworth, England and undertook extensive Infantry training.
From 6 April to 9 June 1944, the regiment was billeted in the town of Berkhamstead, England and completed their final training before entering combat in Normandy.

On "D-Day" 6 June 1944 the regiment was alerted for movement to France.
The regiment moved to the staging area in Southern England where a briefing was given on the general situation, then moved to Southampton dock for loading.

The 117th Infantry Regiment crossed the English Channel and landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D+4, 10 June 1944.
The regiment initially moved into a Staging Area near Lison, France.
The regiment remained here until 2 July 1944.
The first casualties of World War II were suffered here as a result of German 88 mm fire on the Staging Area.
The regiment's initial mission was to replace some units of the 29th Division, which had been almost immediately lost on D-Day.
The balance of the 30th Infantry Division went into Normandy and was almost immediately committed to action against the German Army.

The 117th Infantry Regiment attacked across the Vire river along with the 120th Infantry at 04:30 am the morning of 7 July 1944 as part of the initial breakout from the Normandy Beachhead.
They assaulted across the Vire-Taute Canal on 7 July 1944, establishing a bridgehead toward Les Landes, east of St Jean-de-Day, which the 3rd Armored Division passed through the regiment to conduct exploitation operations.

The regiment repulsed a major German counter-attack conducted by the German Panzer-Lehr-Division the night o
On 16 September 1940 the 117th Infantry Regiment from Tennessee was inducted into federal service at home stations for a period of one year. The regiment was moved by train and arrived in Fort Jackson South Carolina on 24 September 1940 as part of the 30th Division once again. The regiment was housed in pyramid tents at Fort Jackson. Colonel Grant A. Schlieker assumed command of the regiment on 12 August 1940. In October 1940, the unit was filled by Selective Service with men primarily from the Knoxville area.
The 117th Infantry moved by motor convoy to Dixie, Tennessee on 27 May 1941 for the VII Corps Tennessee Maneuvers. The regiment returned to Fort Jackson on 5 July 1941. The regiment along with the rest of the National Guard soldiers inducted in 1940 was extended for the duration of World War II. The regiment then moved to Chester, South Carolina on 27 September 1941 for both the October and November 1941 Carolina Maneuvers. The 117th Infantry Regiment as part of the 30th Division returned to Fort Jackson on 29 November 1941 where the 30th (Old Hickory) Division was redesigned as the 30th Infantry Division.
On 16 February 1942 the 30th Infantry Division arrived at Camp Blanding, Florida for extensive Infantry Training. On 12 September 1942, the 117th Infantry Regiment was ordered to the Infantry School, located at Fort Benning, Georgia, to furnish troops for demonstration purposes and to assist instructors in the training of officer classes and the Officer Candidate School (OCS). The 117th Infantry Regiment moved back to Camp Blanding, Florida by motor convoy on 28 February 1943 to conduct training designed to physically harden the troops.
They moved on 30 May 1943 to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Starting on 4 September 1943, the regiment participated in the Second Army's No.3 Tennessee Maneuvers. On 7 September 1943 the 117th Infantry Regiment returned to Camp Forrest (Arnold AFB today), near Tullahoma, Tennessee.
The 117th Infantry Regiment arrived at Camp Atterbury, Indiana on 14 November 1943 to complete their final phase of training. The 117th Infantry Regiment departed Camp Atterbury and arrived at the staging area in Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts on 29 January 1944. The regiment departed from the Port of Boston, which was the Port of Embarkation, on the USS John Ericsson on 12 February 1944. The 117th Infantry Regiment disembarked in Liverpool, England on 24 February 1944.
In England, from 25 February, to 5 April 1944 the regiment was quartered in Nissen huts near Petworth, England and undertook extensive Infantry training. From 6 April to 9 June 1944, the regiment was billeted in the town of Berkhamstead, England and completed their final training before entering combat in Normandy.
On "D-Day" 6 June 1944 the regiment was alerted for movement to France. The regiment moved to the staging area in Southern England where a briefing was given on the general situation, then moved to Southampton dock for loading.
The 117th Infantry Regiment crossed the English Channel and landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D+4, 10 June 1944. The regiment initially moved into a Staging Area near Lison, France. The regiment remained here until 2 July 1944. The first casualties of World War II were suffered here as a result of German 88 mm fire on the Staging Area. The regiment's initial mission was to replace some units of the 29th Division, which had been almost immediately lost on D-Day. The balance of the 30th Infantry Division went into Normandy and was almost immediately committed to action against the German Army.
The 117th Infantry Regiment attacked across the Vire river along with the 120th Infantry at 04:30 am the morning of 7 July 1944 as part of the initial breakout from the Normandy Beachhead. They assaulted across the Vire-Taute Canal on 7 July 1944, establishing a bridgehead toward Les Landes, east of St Jean-de-Day, which the 3rd Armored Division passed through the regiment to conduct exploitation operations.
The regiment repulsed a major German counter-attack conducted by the German Panzer-Lehr-Division the night o
278th Armored Cavalry Regiment