Laid down on 15 March 1941 as yard number 639 at F. Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel, she was launched on 23 December and commissioned on 21 February 1942.

The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged.

[3] U-210 undertook a single war patrol, departing Kiel on 18 July 1942 under the command of Rudolf Lemcke and heading for the north central Atlantic Ocean.

The senior surviving officer of U-210 ordered her to dive, but forced a slow straight course which allowed Assiniboine to ram her just abaft the conning tower as she dove.

The ballast tanks were blown and the attacking destroyer rammed again as U-210 surfaced; a pattern of shallow-set depth charges were dropped at the same time.