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...