UC-79 was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 19 December 1916. She was commissioned into the Kaiserliche Marine on 22 January 1917 as SM UC-79. In 11 patrols UC-79 was credited with sinking 10 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. On 28 April 1917, she captured the Danish coaster Laura in the Skagerrak. UC-79 was sunk by a mine off Cap Gris Nez, France in late March or early April 1918. Royal Navy divers located the wreck in that area in August 1918.