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Columbia Missourian

Stuck in the airport? Learn the alphabet

By Kristina Sherry
November 23, 2007 | 3:00 p.m. CST

As you wait to fly home after thanksgiving, learn the lingo of the guy flying the jumbo jet

North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s phonetic alphabet, as it is commonly called, was finalized in the 1950s as a means to ensure clear communication among NATO allies in the heat of battle.

Evolved from previous versions, the alphabet is an internationally agreed-upon system for distinguishing among similar-sounding letters such as P, B, C and D — especially when radio, walkie-talkie or phone signals are prone to crackling.

Can you say “clear”? (Charlie, Lima, Echo, Alpha, Romeo).

Here’s the alphabet:

A — Alpha

B — Bravo

C — Charlie

D — Delta

E — Echo

F — Foxtrot

G — Golf

H — Hotel

I — India

J — Juliet

K — Kilo

L — Lima

M — Mike

N — November

O — Oscar

P — Papa

Q — Quebec

R — Romeo

S — Sierra

T — Tango

U — Uniform

V — Victor

W — Whiskey

X — X-Ray

Y — Yankee

Z — Zulu

Source: BBC