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 of 7 July 1944 and again during the morning of 9 July 1944. The Germans suffered heavy losses as the result of the Tennessee guardsmen's tenacious fighting and accurate fire. As the 117th Infantry advanced on Saint-Lô, as part of the 30th (US) Infantry Division, it checked a German counterattack along the main Hauts-Vents Highway 11 July 1944 and Pont Hebert fell after protracted fighting 14 July 1944. Patrols reached the Periers-Saint-Lô Road by 18 July 1944. VII (US) Corps made the main effort along