The 2nd Bokeim Battalion, Battalion 52

Battalion 52 (The Bokeim)
The second Bokeim Battalion, from the veterans of the IDF battalions, was established in March 1947 on the basis of the Israeli War of Independence in the southern colonies and fought in all of Israel’s wars. Before the establishment of the state, the soldiers of the battalion specialized in the field of fire, in the knowledge and use of weapons, and were assigned the task of securing the southern region and fought in the War of Independence as part of the Givati Brigade (5th Brigade). When the IDF brigades were numbered during the war, the battalion received the number 52 because it was the second battalion established in the Givati Brigade, which received the number 5. The name “The Bokeim ” was given to the battalion because it participated in breaking the siege of the Negev, imposed by the Egyptian army.
In fact, this is the second ” Bokeim ” battalion, as the 51st Battalion of Givati (which in 1956 moved to the Golani Brigade ), which fought in those battles, had previously received the name ” Bokeim ” (the first ” Bokeim ” battalion). In addition, the battalion participated in battles in the center of the country and in Operation Nachshon to break through to Jerusalem in April 1948 and fought in the outskirts of Jaffa. The battalion even briefly captured the Latrun police station. The battalion’s commanders during the war were Yaakov Perry (Frolov) and Shmuel Eyal. In 1956, the 52nd Battalion was transferred to the 7th Brigade. It continued to operate as a regular battalion, participating in retaliatory operations. The Sinai War was a tank battalion under the command of Uri Rom, as part of the 7th Brigade. In 1958, the battalion was converted to Sherman and AMX tanks. In 1964-1965, the battalion’s Sherman companies participated in the War on Water, as part of the 7th Brigade. In 1965, the 1st Magach M-48 Battalion (79th Battalion) was established in the 7th Brigade. In return, the 52nd Battalion was transferred to the 14th Brigade.
During the Six-Day War, the battalion operated as part of the 14th Brigade. The battalion consisted of two Sherman M50 and M51 companies, and an AMX company, under the command of Sasson Itzhaky. The battalion took part in the Battle of Umm Ketef.
In 1968, the battalion was converted to Magh tanks.
During the War of Attrition, the Magh battalion was stationed in the Bar-Lev Line sector under the command of the 14th Brigade.
During the Yom Kippur War, the Magach battalion was commanded by Emmanuel Sakal. Before the war, the battalion was located in the Hamuzavim Line (the line of outposts) in the Ras Sudar area in the southern sector of the Egyptian front, fully manned in the first hours of the war, still the 14th Brigade Battalion, the battalion fought alone against the advancing Egyptian 3rd Army, absorbing and repelling the surprise opening blow.
About two and a half hours later, due to deployment and location considerations, at around 16:30 in the midst of the fighting, the battalion was transferred, by order of the liaison, to the 401st Brigade (to which it still belongs today), commanded by Dan Shomron. In return, the 401st transferred the 79th Battalion to the 14th Brigade. The battalion suffered most of its casualties, in dead and wounded, during those four to six hours of hard fighting until the first tanks of the 401st Brigade arrived at 20:00. The 52nd Battalion participated in the containment battles and the counterattack, and successfully crossed the Suez Canal until it was positioned at kilometer 101; in the battles, the battalion suffered heavy losses. The battalion thwarted an Egyptian crossing effort south of the Bitter Lake , almost completely destroyed an Egyptian armored battalion, and came to the aid of a neighboring battalion as part of a brigade attack along the Mitle axis while breaking through an enemy formation of armored and infantry forces.
In the First Lebanon War, it fought as an M60 tank battalion under the command of Uri Agmon, as part of the 401st Brigade.
In the Second Lebanon War, the 4th Merkava Battalion, under the command of Guy Kabili, who was injured and was replaced by Tzachi Segev (the battalion commander who preceded him). The battalion participated in the fighting in the central sector of southern Lebanon, as part of the 401st Brigade.
And it continues to bear the burden of ongoing security, as part of the regular IDF formation.
In Operation Protective Edge, the 4th Merkava Battalion in the 401st Brigade. During the operation, it fought under the command of the Givati Brigade. For its work, the battalion was awarded the Southern Command Major General’s Medal. In 2023, the battalion began to equip itself with Merkava 4 Barak tanks alongside the Merkava 4-400, while the Merkava 4M had to be transferred to the reserve units. But with the beginning of the Iron Sword War, which also brought about the first baptism of fire of the “Barak” model,
An operational need arose to continue using the 4M model until the reserve units were converted, and at the same time, the need for more tanks was available.
In February 2025, the battalion completed a full conversion to the 4 Barak vehicle.
Today, the battalion is made up of a headquarters company, a Vampire Empire company, a spearhead company, and an auxiliary company.