To form the battalion, the 347th, 348th, 351st and 352nd independent ranger companies amalgamated in early 1964, at Mỹ Tho.

The Battalion played a part with other ARVN forces in the Battle of Đồng Xoài which took place in Phước Long Province between June 9 and 13, 1965.

On 11 November 1965, the battalion was augmented to the US 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and conducted an air assault to relief a US element of the 11th ACR that had been ambushed by the VC 275th Regiment near Kim Hai hamlet, in the village of Phuoc Hoa on Route 15, in Phước Tuy Province and received a United States Presidential Unit Citation.

The 52d BDQ was significantly engaged during Tet 1968, securing Xuân Lộc, clearing Ba Ria and participating in the subsequent clearance of Cholon and Biên Hòa.

The operation resulted in an enormous success for 1 ATF wherein huge amounts of weapons, equipment and explosives were discovered as well as the discovery of the Viet Cong K76A Hospital which was the principal provider of medical services for all Communist forces in Phước Tuy and Long Khánh Provinces.