It first saw action in January 1942, taking part in the offensive northwest of Moscow which carved out the salient around Toropets deep in the rear of Army Group Center.

It was then assigned to 21st Army north of Leningrad where it participated in the offensive that drove Finland out of the war from June into August, and remained on this front until December.

During that month the entire 39th Army began moving to the Far East, where it took part in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August, where the 358th won its second battle honor, capping a distinguished record of service.

[3] After a couple of months in the Volga District the division was moved north to the Moscow area, where it was assigned to the 60th (Reserve) Army which was forming there.

Toropets was taken on 21 January with an even larger hoard of much-needed supplies, while the 358th and other second echelon units pushed on towards Velizh, cutting the rail line from Rzhev to Velikiye Luki the same day.

[7] During the rest of January and into February the division took part in several attempts to break into and liberate Velizh, but these were stymied on its outskirts.

[10] After about six weeks in the Reserve of the Supreme High Command for rest and replenishment, the 358th was assigned to the 21st Army, which was moved at the end of April to the Karelian Isthmus, north of Leningrad, in anticipation of a final showdown with Finland.

At the end of May, the division's strength was recorded as follows: 811 officers; 2,012 NCOs; 4,139 enlisted men; for a total of 6,962 personnel, including 134 sick or wounded in the divisional medical units.

[14] On the evening of 9 June the first echelon rifle corps of 21st Army fired a 15-minute artillery preparation, followed by a reconnaissance-in-force to assess the damage.

97th Corps attacked towards Kallelovo and penetrated the forward Finnish defenses, but only advanced 5 km, reaching the south bank of the Sestra by the end of the day.

On 12 June, 97th Corps enveloped Termolovo from the west to northeast, but the pace of the advance was slowing, and it became clear that a regrouping would be necessary before tackling that second line.

To this end, the rested 97th Corps was again subordinated to 21st Army on the morning of the 18th and, supported by the 1st and 152nd Tank Brigades, prepared to take the lead in breaking the third line.

Overall, the forces of 21st Army ripped a 70 km-wide gap in the Finnish defenses from Muola to the Gulf of Finland, and advanced as much as 14 km during 18 hours of bitter fighting against determined but confused resistance.

The plan for the next day called for 97th Corps to advance along the rail line and then envelop Vyborg's defenses from the northeast.

[17] The 358th would subsequently be granted its first battle honor, "Leningrad", for its part in this victory, as well as a unit award of the Order of the Red Banner.

The 124th Rifle Division was committed into battle from behind the 358th's right flank, broke into Pilkallen and seized the railroad station, the only significant advance of the day.

On 22 January the division was on the march and took the town of Kukers, while 39th Army overall reached the Curonian Lagoon along the line of the Deime River, splitting the German defense.

Despite this, it broke through the fortified defenses north of the Alter Pregel River, took the strongpoints of Gamsau and Praddau, and on the following day reached the fortifications of the city itself, becoming involved in stubborn fighting.

By the end of 9 April the German garrison capitulated, while 39th Army was regrouping for subsequent operations into the western part of the Samland Peninsula.

During the fighting in the Samland Peninsula a German counterattack by infantry and tank-destroyers of the Marder type broke through to the division's command post.

[24] 39th Army was chosen for the invasion of Japanese-held Manchuria in large part due to its experience in East Prussia; the Japanese frontier was known to be heavily fortified.

The operation began on 9 August, and after passing the mountains at Tarchu, the 358th turned due south to link up with the 124th Rifle Division which was engaged with the Japanese forces defending the Halung-Arshaan fortified area.