The ship was salvaged by Latvia and entered service with the Latvian Navy on 10 November 1921 under the name Virsaitis as its first vessel.

[9] M68 was laid down early in 1917 at A. G. Neptun's shipyard in Rostock as yard number 382,[4][9] was launched on 25 July 1917 and was commissioned on 6 October 1917.

[11] Her service with the Imperial German Navy was short, however, as she was sunk after striking a mine off Riga on 29 October 1917.

[12] With repairs complete, the ship was commissioned into the Latvian Navy as Virsaitis on 10 November 1921,[9][10] serving as a guardship.

[15] T-297, which was redesignated as an escort vessel on 25 July 1941 (returning to the name Virsaitis), was used to defend naval bases and communication routes.

Virsaitis took part in the fourth evacuation convoy on 24 November 1941 and the final operation, which left Hanko on the evening of 2 December.