Lt. Col. Dor Gedalya Ben Shimon was killed overnight, between Wednesday and Thursday, in a severe incident in southern Lebanon, and a letter he wrote to his soldiers when he took command of Battalion 52 has now been published. The army photo caption identifies him as the battalion commander, and the report says he assumed the post about two months ago after the previous commander was wounded in fighting in southern Lebanon.
In the letter, Ben Shimon praised the troops and their fighting spirit, writing that the battalion’s tank tracks leave a mark in every sector. He told them, “I trust you and am proud to join your ranks, we will return from our mission with our heads held high.” He also said the opening line of the battalion’s heritage song accurately reflects the unit’s purpose, which he said the battalion had carried out with distinction over the previous two and a half years.
Ben Shimon stressed the sense of mission that accompanied him into the role and the long legacy of Battalion 52, which he said had been strengthened since the October 7 attacks. He referred to moments of mourning with the families of fallen soldiers, saying the unit had removed its combat vests and stood with the parents and families of those who did not return from battle, drawing strength from their memory.
He ended by saying the battalion would soon return to action and continue the fight to defeat its enemies for the security of Israel’s residents. He wrote that the circumstances of the handover required the unit to keep carrying out whatever was assigned to it, “shoulder to shoulder, with excellence and in faith in the righteousness of the path.” He also sent wishes for a quick and easy recovery to the wounded, and closed by saying, “I trust you and am proud to join your ranks.”
