Built by Burrard Drydock Co., Ltd., of North Vancouver, Yukon was commissioned on 25 May 1963. She was the third of her class and first ship of that name to join the Royal Canadian Navy.

On July 16th 1963, she sailed for Halifax, stopping on the way in San Diego Calif. for 3 days, Manzanilla Mex, for 6 hours, Acapulco Mex. for 3 days, Balboa Pan. for 3 days, and Kingston Jamaica for 5 days.

Arrived in Halifax at 10:00 hrs August 16th, 1963.

August 26, 1963 started workups.

October 2, 1963 ship was scheduled tlo sail for Charleston N.C. for workup program with HMCS Provider but was cancelled for an unknown reason.

April, 1964 sailed for Bermuda and painted ship for 9 days, then to Boston Mass for 4 days, then home.

May 22, 1964 sailed for Portsmouth Eng., Amerstam Holland, Londenderry Ireland. (An interesting story here, more details later). Then on to the Canary Islands to Port La Luze (Spanish shore patrol gave Yukon a beatting).

July 24, 1963 @ 13:30 arrived back in Halifax.

October 15th, 1964 sailed for P.E.I. to escort Queen Elizabeth and H.M.Y. Britannia to Quebec city for 4 days.

January 4, 1965 salied for Victoria via Panama canal for transfer of Yukon's crew to HMCS Ottawa.

February 2, 1965 arrived in Victoria

On 4 May 1970, Yukon, in company with Mackenzie and Provider, departed Esquimalt and headed west.

The two destroyers arrived in Hakodate on 22 May while Provider went to Yokosuka. During the voyage the ships carried out exercises with units of the Australian, New Zealand, Japanese and American navies. Between exercises the ships visited Kobe, Osaka and Sasebo before heading for home.

February 1975 Yukon started her mid-life refit, following which she became a member of Training Group Pacific, taking on the role of instructing officers.

She began her DELEX refit on 28 May 1984, returning to the fleet on 16 January 1985.

In 1986 she was one of three RCN ships to visit Australia and take part in the RAN’s celebration of its 75th birthday.

During her service life, Yukon steamed 792,181 nautical miles and visited ports in some 30 countries. She was paid off on 3 December 1993.

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