Education: Alfa, Bravo . . .

For U.S. servicemen in World War II, the pronouncing alphabet (Able, Baker, Charlie, etc.) was well suited to rolling off the American tongue. But not so for servicemen of other lands. Since the French, for instance, have no such sound for a as in able, the word comes out ahble. Baker became Bahkay or Bahkair. In 1947 the International Civil Aeronautics Organization began working out a new alphabet that would be readily pronounceable for all. As the result, last week NATO’s forces officially shifted from:

Able to Alfa

Baker to Bravo

Dog to Delta

Easy to Echo

Fox to Foxtrot

George to Golf

How to Hotel

Item to India

Jig to Juliett

King to Kilo

Love to Lima

Nan to November

Oboe to Oscar

Peter to Papa

Queen to Quebec

Roger to Romeo

Sugar to Sierra

Tare to Tango

Uncle to Uniform

William to Whiskey

Yoke to Yankee

Zebra to Zulu

Only old faithfuls that oldtimers would recognize: Charlie, Mike, Victor, Xray.