Historical Events on August 16
- 1513: King Henry VIII of England defeats French forces during the Battle of Guinegate.
- 1652: During the First Anglo-Dutch War, Michiel de Ruyter and George Ayscue engage in the naval battle known as the Battle of Plymouth.
- 1777: General John Stark leads American forces against British forces at the Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York during the American Revolutionary War.
- 1780: American forces are defeated near Camden, South Carolina by British forces during the Battle of Camden – a battle during the American Revolutionary War.
- 1793: The National Convention in France declares a levée en masse during the French Revolution.
- 1812: Fort Detroit is surrendered to the British Army by American General William Hull during the War of 1812. The fort was surrendered without a fight.
- 1913: The British battle cruiser – the HMS Queen Mary – is completed for the Royal Navy.
- 1916: The United States and Canada sign the Migratory Bird Treaty on this date.
- 1954: The first issue of Sports Illustrated is published on this day.
- 1960: Cyprus becomes independent of the UK.
- 1962: The Beatles fire Pete Best; Two days later, Ringo Starr becomes the band’s new drummer.
- 1964: During the Vietnam War, Dương Văn Minh is removed as President of South Vietnam during a coup de’etat. He is replaced with General Nguyễn Khánh
- 1987: Northwest Airlines Flight 244 crashes shortly after take-off in Detroit, Michigan. Of the 155 people on board, only 1 survives.
- 2008: Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, Illinois becomes the tallest above-ground residence in the world. It is approximately 423 meters high.
Famous Birthdays on August 16
- American R&B singer James Taylor is born in 1953.
- American talk show host and singer Kathie Lee Gifford is born in 1953.
- Canadian director, screenwriter and producer James Cameron is born in 1954.
- American singer-songwriter Emily Robison is born in 1972.
- American baseball play Damian Jackson is born in 1973.