The following are events related to the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) that took place on this day.

2001

• A Marine lost his foot and two more were wounded when a previously undetected land mine was detonated. While on patrol at the Kandahar airport, Cpl Chris Chandler stepped on a plastic anti-personnel mine, which had eluded a previous sweep with a metal detector. So far, disposal crews have detonated nine caches of weapons, including rockets, grenades, and guns.

2006

• Operation Arctic Sunrise in Iraq
• End of Operation Eagle Watch in Iraq

2007

• Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 (VMFA-251) began arriving home at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, following a six-month deployment on board the USS Enterprise. While deployed, VMFA-251 flew missions in support of U.S. coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Casualties on December 16:

• NAKIS, NATHAN WILLIAM – December 16, 2003
• SWEGER, FRANKLIN ALAN – December 16, 2004
• FALES, ADAM ROBERT – December 16, 2005
• BAINES, JOE LUIS – December 16, 2006
• PALMER, NICKLAS JAMES – December 16, 2006
• STAATS, DAVID ROGER – December 16, 2006
• STANLEY, MATTHEW JOSEPH – December 16, 2006
• MEADOWS, COLMAN JOSEPH III – December 16, 2008
• OSTERMAN, SEAN ANDREW – December 16, 2010