First patrol

The boat's first patrol was in two parts; it began with her departure from Kiel on 12 January 1943. During the second part, which began with her departure from Kristiansand in Norway on the 16th, she negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and sank the Neva 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) west of these islands on the 22nd. On the 26th, she sank the Nortind east of Cape Farewell, (Greenland). She arrived at St. Nazaire in occupied France on 8 March.

Second patrol

Having left St. Nazaire (which became her base for the rest of her career) on 11 April 1943, U-358 sank Bristol City and Wentworth. She was attacked south of Cape Farewell by the British corvette HMS Pink commanded by Lieutenant Robert Atkinson and badly damaged. (This attack had originally credited Pink with the destruction of U-192.)

Third patrol

The submarine's third foray took her south, as far as the Gulf of Guinea, off the west African coast. At 84 days, it was her longest patrol.

Fourth patrol

U-358's fourth patrol was northeast of the Azores.

Fifth patrol and loss

U-358 left St. Nazaire on 14 February 1944. From the 29th, she was hunted by the British frigates HMS Gould, Affleck, Gore and Garlies north of the Azores. Gore and Garlies had to break off the assault and sail to Gibraltar to re-fuel. The U-boat sank Gould on 1 March, but Affleck persisted with the attack, sinking U-358 with gunfire after the submarine was forced to the surface.

50 men died in the U-boat; there was one survivor, Alfons Eckert.

Wolfpacks

U-358 took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely:

• Haudegen (27 January – 2 February 1943)
• Nordsturm (2 – 9 February 1943)
• Haudegen (9 – 15 February 1943)
• Taifun (15 – 20 February 1943)
• Without name (15 – 18 April 1943)
• Specht (19 April – 4 May 1943)
• Fink (4 – 6 May 1943)
• Schill (2 – 16 November 1943)
• Schill 1 (16 – 22 November 1943)
• Weddigen (22 November – 7 December 1943)
• Preussen (22 February – 1 March 1944)