HMCS Yukon

There has been only one vessel named Yukon in the Royal Canadian Navy.

HMCS Yukon (263) / Mackenzie-class destroyer escort

Built by Burrard Dry Dock Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, Yukon was commissioned on 25 May 1963 and, manned by east-coast personnel, sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia on 7 July 1963.

On 5 January 1965, she departed for Esquimalt, British Columbia. In mid-1970, with HMCS Mackenzie and Provider, she carried out exercises with units of the Australian, New Zealand, United States and Japanese navies, during which time she visited the Japanese cities of Kobe, Osaka and Sasebo.

On completion of her mid-life refit in 1975, Yukon became a member of Training Group Pacific. For the rest of her life she was engaged in the training of junior officers in shiphandling, seamanship, navigation and engineering. Her Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) refit was carried out by Burrard-Yarrow at Esquimalt, British Columbia, between 28 May 1984 and 16 January 1985.

During her career, Yukon steamed more than 792,000 nautical miles and visited some 30 foreign ports. She was paid off on 3 December 1993 and eventually sold to the San Diego Oceans Foundation. On 25 April 1999, she left Vancouver in tow for San Diego, California, where she was to be ceremoniously sunk on July 15 as a sport-divers’ wreck. Due to rough weather, she flooded and sank at the intended site one day early.

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