The regiment is named for the region of Emilia and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm.

The regiment was reformed during World War II and assigned to the 155th Infantry Division "Emilia", which was deployed to as occupation force to Montenegro.

[2][3] During World War I the Brigade "Emilia" fought on the Italian front: in June 1915 the brigade fought in the First Battle of the Isonzo near Plave and dislodged Austro-Hungarian forces at Globna, for which the 120th Infantry Regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor.

The brigade held its positions at Porte di Salton at the cost of 31 officers and 854 enlisted killed or wounded.

For its defense at Porte di Salton the brigade's two regiments were awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor.

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the division concentrated its forces around the Bay of Kotor and formed with the units of the Royal Italian Navy a defense perimeter.

On 16 September the division's commander Ugo Buttà ordered the Emilia's units to requisition every vessel in Kotor harbor and sail for Apulia in southern Italy, where British and Italian forces had driven out the Germans.

For its refusal to surrender to the Germans and its rearguard action the I Battalion was awarded the regiment's second Bronze Medal of Military Valor.

The battalion was tasked with manning fortifications of the Alpine Wall between the Natisone river and the border with Yugoslavia from Capriva del Friuli in the South to the valleys just North of Cividale.