November 14, 1935-The keel of the Z16 Frederick Eckoldt is laid in the Blohm and Voß shipyard in Hamburg (Germany).
March 21, 1937-The Frederick Eckoldt is launched.
August 2, 1938-The Frederick Eckoldt was commissioned.
August 19, 1938-The Frederick Eckoldt takes part in a fleet review with Z14 Friedrich Ihn and Z15 Erich Steinbrinck, forming the 3rd Destroyer Division. Afterwards, the destroyers then engaged in training until August 30.
March 23, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt embarked to return the refugees from Memel into Lithuania after Germany ordered the repeal of the Memel Statute. After completing the mission, the ship continued on to join in a two month fleet exercise in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
April 18, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt operates with Z1 Leberecht Maß, Z2 Georg Thiele, Z3 Max Schultz, Z4 Richard Beitzen, Z14 Friedrich Ihn, Z15 Erich Steinbrinck, and Z17 Diether von Roeder, the battleship Admiral Graf Spee, cruisers Leipzig, Nürnberg, and Köln.
August 29, 1939-Z16 Frederick Eckoldt, Z8 Bruno Heinemann, Z14 Friedrich Ihn, and Z15 Erich Steinbrinck shadow the Polish destroyer Grom, Burza and Blyskawica, but do not open fire since Germany had not yet declared war with Poland.
September 1, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt is part of a reconnaissance group assigned off Polish shores to prevent the escape of the Polish Navy. The ship remains near Poland, conducting mining operations.
September 20, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt takes part in minelaying operations near the 'Westwall' of the Skagerrak.
October 7, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt, cruiser Köln, and destroyers Z3 Max Schultz, Z6 Theodor Reidel, and Z11 Bernd von Arnim sail up the Danish coast after joining Gneisenau in the German Bight.
October 10, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt is detached to arrive at Swinemünde.
October 17, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt takes on mines, beginning an operation at Schillig Roads, then passing on to Swinemünde.
November 8, 1939-The Frederick Eckoldt's mining operations are cancelled until November 11 due to fuel contamination in Z19 Hermann Künne's tanks.
January 8, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt loads mines from the tender Lauting before departing with Z14 Friedrich Ihn, and Z15 Erich Steinbrinck, laying the mines in the Thames estuary.
January 8, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt takes part in a second mining operation, this time near Cromer.
February 9, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt engages in minelaying operations off the Shipwash, laying 10 magnetic mines.
February 18, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt embarks on Operation Nordmark. On February 19, the destroyer left the formation for commerce raiding, and would arrive in Wilhelmshaven the following day.
February 22, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt participated in Operation Wikinger. The destroyer managed to survive the Junker Ju-88 bomber attack and the British minefields that claimed the destroyers Z1 Leberecht Maß and Z3 Max Schultz. Frederick Eckoldt rescued 56 survivors from Z1 Leberecht Maß before returning to Wilhelmshaven on February 23.
April 6, 1940-Troops embark on Frederick Eckoldt, which is part of Kriegsschiffgruppe 2 (Warship Group 2), for Operation Weserübung.
April 9, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt disembarks the troops at Trondheim.
April 16, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt arrives back at Wilhelmshaven. Prior to engaging in mining and scouting operations in western France, the destroyer undergoes refits at Hamburg (Germany).
September 9, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt escorts Z5 Paul Jacobi, Z10 Hans Lody, Z14 Friedrich Ihn, Z15 Erich Steinbrinck, and Z20 Karl Galster. During the time, the ship is unsuccessfully attacked by British Fairey Swordfish aircraft firing rockets.
October 10,1940-The Frederick Eckoldt is again attacked, but is this time damaged by near misses, forcing the destroyer to undergo repairs in Hamburg. Later that month, torpedo and gunnery officers aboard the destroyer were commissioned for U-boat duties, leaving the ship inoperable throughout October.
November 5, 1940-The Frederick Eckoldt aborts a mission to the Bay of Biscay, returning for refitting at Blohm and Voß shipyards. After refits, the ship remains in dock due to heavy winter icing.
December 1940-Repairs on the Frederick Eckoldt are completed, and the destroyer joins the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen and escorts them to Trondheim as part of Operation Rheinübung, which was Bismarck's effort to break into the Atlantic Ocean.
May 22, 1941-After arriving in Trondheim with the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen, Frederick Eckoldt is released to Wilhelmshaven.
June 11, 1941-The Frederick Eckoldt joins cruisers Leipzig, Emden, Panzerschiff Lützow, and destroyers Z10 Hans Lody, Z20 Karl Galster, Z23, and Z24. Frederick Eckoldt tows the damaged Panzerschiff after a successful enemy torpedo attack. The tow is aborted once the Lützow is able to make way alone, making 12 knots and reversing course for a return trip to Germany.
June 20, 1941-The Frederick Eckoldt is transferred to Bergen with Z7 Hermann Schoemann and Z20 Karl Galster. The ship is delayed by problems aboard Z7 Hermann Schoemann, departing on July 5. After arriving, Frederick Eckoldt continues on to Kirkenes.
July 12, 1941-The Frederick Eckoldt departs the Kirkenes. A brief battle erupts when the destroyer engages the Russian escort vessel Molotov and trawlers Passat and RT32. Both the Molotov and Passat are sunk. Afterwards, Russian bombers attack, focusing on the Frederick Eckoldt. The destroyer opened fire, downing one bomber with no damage sustained. Frederick Eckoldt enters Tanafjord for duty stations once arriving.
August 9, 1941-The Frederick Eckoldt takes on oil from the Tiger and departs Boknafjord with destroyers Z4 Richard Beitzen and Z10 Hans Lody to the Kola Inlet. While returning from the mission, two bombs dropped from enemy aircraft straddle the destroyer, causing shock damage near the forwardmost main gun, forcing the ship to return to Narvik for an engine overhaul. Shortly afterwards, Frederick Eckoldt is rammed by a Norweigan steamer while in Tromsö on October 12, 1941.
October 22, 1941-The Frederick Eckoldt enters Trondheim for twelve days while the repairs are completed in a floating drydock.
April 15, 1942-The repairs on Frederick Eckoldt are complete and the destroyer is again battle-ready.
May 11, 1942-The Frederick Eckoldt develops engine problems when attempting to embark on a minelaying operation.
July 9, 1942-The Frederick Eckoldt left Trondheim with the cruiser Köln, both loaded with mines to strengthen the West Wall in the Skagerrak. The destroyer then took part in Operation Wunderland and Operation Hoffnung before engaging in Atlantic mining operations.
August 1942-The Frederick Eckoldt and destroyers Z4 Richard Beitzen and Z15 Erich Steinbrinck escort the minelayer Ulm late in the month. The destroyer also is scheduled for refitting in the shipyards.
December 22, 1942-The Z16 Frederick Eckoldt embarks on Operation Regenbogen.
December 30, 1942-The Frederick Eckoldt is involved in the attack on Convoy JB51 B in the Barents Sea. During the attack, Z16 was ordered to sink the minelayer Bramble, which put the destroyer out of formation. Lookouts aboard the destroyer spots distant muzzle flashes, and heads toward it, mistakenly believing the ship to be the Admiral Hipper. The ship turned out to be the British cruiser Sheffield, which opened fire at point blank range. The Sheffield hit Frederick at point blank range in the aft magazine, and the German destroyer sank with all hands.
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