The Allied military phonetic spelling alphabets prescribed the words that are used to represent each letter of the alphabet, when spelling other words out loud, letter-by-letter, and how the spelling words should be pronounced for use by the Allies of World War II. They are not a "phonetic alphabet" in the sense in which that term is used in phonetics, i.e. they are not a system for transcribing speech sounds.
The Allied militaries – primarily the US and the UK – had their own radiotelephone spelling alphabets which had origins back to World War I and had evolved separately in the different services in the two countries. For communication between the different countries and different services specific alphabets were mandated.
The last WWII spelling alphabet continued to be used through the Korean War, being replaced in 1956 as a result of both countries adopting the ICAO/ITU Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, with the NATO members calling their usage the "NATO Phonetic Alphabet".
During WWII, the Allies had defined terminology to describe the scope of communications procedures among different services and nations. A summary of the terms used was published in a post-WWII NATO memo:
combined—between services of one nation and those of another nation, but not necessarily within or between the services of the individual nations joint—between (but not necessarily within) two or more services of one nation intra—within a service (but not between services) of one nation Thus, the Combined Communications Board (CCB), created in 1941, derived a spelling alphabet that was mandated for use when any US military branch was communicating with any British military branch; when operating without any British forces, the Joint Army/Navy spelling alphabet was mandated for use whenever the US Army and US Navy were communicating in joint operations; if the US Army was operating on its own, it would use its own spelling alphabet, in which some of the letters were identical to the other spelling alphabets and some completely different.
WWII CCB (ICAO) and NATO alphabets
The US and UK began to coordinate calling alphabets by the military during World War II and by 1943 they had settled on a streamline communications that became known as the CCB. Both nations had previous independently developed alphabet naming system dating back to World War I. Subsequently, this second world war era letter naming became accepted as standard by the ICAO in 1947.
After the creation of NATO in 1949, modifications began to take place. An alternative name for the ICAO spelling alphabet, "NATO phonetic alphabet", exists because it appears in Allied Tactical Publication ATP-1, Volume II: Allied Maritime Signal and Maneuvering Book used by all navies of NATO, which adopted a modified form of the International Code of Signals. Because the latter allows messages to be spelled via flags or Morse code, it naturally named the code words used to spell out messages by voice its "phonetic alphabet". The name NATO phonetic alphabet became widespread because the signals used to facilitate the naval communications and tactics of NATO have become global. However, ATP-1 is marked NATO Confidential (or the lower NATO Restricted) so it is not available publicly. Nevertheless, a NATO unclassified version of the document is provided to foreign, even hostile, militaries, even though they are not allowed to make it available publicly. The spelling alphabet is now also defined in other unclassified international military documents.Communication instructions – General , Allied Communications Publication ACP 121(H), Combined Communications-Electronics Board, April 2007, section 318 The NATO alphabet appeared in some United States Air Force Europe publications during the Cold War. A particular example was the Ramstein Air Base Telephone Directory, published between 1969 and 1973 (currently out of print). The US and NATO versions had differences, and the translation was provided as a convenience. Differences included Alfa, Bravo and Able, Baker for the first two letters.
The NATO phonetic spelling alphabet was first adopted on 1 January 1956, while the ICAO radiotelephony spelling alphabet was still undergoing final changes.
+Wartime CCB and post-war NATO Letter 1943 CCB (US-UK)(same as 1947 ICAO) NATO 1 Jan – 29 Feb 1956 1 March 1956 – present AAbleAlfa BBakerBravo CCharlie DDogDelta EEasyEcho FFoxFoxtrot GGeorgeGolf HHowHotel IItemIndia JJigJuliett KKingKilo LLoveLima MMike NNanNectarNovember OOboeOscar PPeterPapa QQueenQuebec RRogerRomeo SSugarSierra TTareTango UUncleUniform VVictor WWilliamWhiskey XXrayX-ray YYokeYankee ZZebraZulu 0Zero 1Wun 2Too 3Thuh-ree 4Fo-wer 5Fi-yiv 6Six 7Seven 8Ate 9Niner
United Kingdom military spelling alphabets
British Army radiotelephony spelling alphabet + Letter 1904 1904 1914 1914–1918 1918 1956–present AAckAckAckApplesAckAlfa BBeerBeerBeerButterBeerBravo CCCorkCCharlieCorkCharlie DDDonDonDuffDonDelta EEEddyEEdwardEddyEcho FFFreddyFFreddieFreddyFoxtrot GGGeorgeGGeorgeGeorgeGolf HHHarryHHarryHarryHotel IIInkIInkInkIndia JJJugJJohnnieJugJuliett KKKingKKingKingKilo LLLondonLLondonLondonLima MEmmaEmmaEmmaMonkeyEmmaMike NNNutsNNutsNutsNovember OOOrangeOOrangeOrangeOscar PPipPipPipPuddingPipPapa QQQuadQQueenieQuadQuebec RRRobertRRobertRobertRomeo SEssesEssesEssesSugarEssesSierra TTocTocTocTommyTocTango UUUncleUUncleUncleUniform VVicVicVicVinegarVicVictor WWWilliamWWilliamWilliamWhisky XXXerxesXX-RayXerxesX-ray YYYellowYYorkerYellowYankee ZZZebraZZebraZebraZulu
Royal Navy radiotelephony spelling alphabet
+ Letter 1914–1918 1921 1956–present AApplesAcAlfa BButterBeerBravo CCharlieCharlieCharlie DDuffDonDelta EEdwardEdwardEcho FFreddyFoxFoxtrot GGeorgeGeorgeGolf HHarryHowHotel IInkInkIndia JJohnnieJohnnieJuliett KKingKingKilo LLondonLoveLima MMonkeyMonkeyMike NNutsNanNovember OOrangeOrangeOscar PPuddingPipPapa QQueenieQueenQuebec RRobertRobertRomeo SSugarSugarSierra TTommyTocTango UUncleUncleUniform VVinegarVicVictor WWilliamWilliamWhisky XXerxesX-rayX-ray YYellowYokeYankee ZZebraZebraZulu
RAF radiotelephony spelling alphabet The RAF radiotelephony spelling alphabet, sometimes referred to as the "RAF Phonetic Alphabet", was used by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) to aid communication after the take-up of radio, especially to spell out aircraft identification letters, e.g. "H for Harry", "G for George", etc. Several alphabets were used, before being superseded by the adoption of the NATO/ICAO radiotelephony alphabet.
History During World War I battle lines were often static and forces were commonly linked by wired telephone networks. Signals were weak on long wire runs and field telephone systems often used a single wire with earth return, which made them subject to inadvertent and deliberate interference. Spelling alphabets were introduced for wire telephony as well as on the newer radio voice equipment. American Army Field Codes In the American Expeditionary Forces During The First World War, William Friedman, U.S. War Department, June 1942
The British Army and the Royal Navy had developed their own quite separate spelling alphabets. The Navy system was a full alphabet, starting: Apples, Butter, Charlie, Duff, Edward, but the RAF alphabet was based on that of the "signalese" of the army signallers. This was not a full alphabet, but differentiated only the letters most frequently misunderstood: Ack (originally "Ak"), Beer (or Bar), C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, eMma, N, O, Pip, Q, R, eSses, Toc, U, Vic, W, X, Y, Z.
By 1921, the RAF "Telephony Spelling Alphabet" had been adopted by all three armed services, and was then made mandatory for UK civil aviation, as announced in Notice to Airmen Number 107.
In 1956, the NATO phonetic alphabet was adopted due to the RAF's wide commitments with NATO and worldwide sharing of civil aviation facilities.
+ RAF radiotelephony spelling alphabet Letter 1921–1942Keesing's Contemporary Archives, Volume 4, Part 2, 1942 1942–1955 1956–present AApple Able/AffirmAlfa BBeerBakerBravo CCharlieCharlieCharlie DDonDogDelta EEdwardEasyEcho FFreddieFoxFoxtrot GGeorgeGeorgeGolf HHarryHowHotel IInkItem/InterrogatoryIndia JJug/JohnnieJig/JohnnyJuliett KKingKingKilo LLondonLoveLima MMonkeyMikeMike NNutsNan/Nab/Negat/NectarNovember OOrangeOboeOscar PPipPeter/PrepPapa QQueenQueenQuebec RRobertRogerRomeo SSugarSugarSierra TTocTareTango UUncleUncleUniform VVicVictorVictor WWilliamWilliamWhiskey XX-rayX-rayX-ray YYorkerYokeYankee ZZebraZebraZulu The choice of Nuts following Monkey is probably from "monkey nuts" (peanuts); likewise Orange and Pip can be similarly paired, as in "orange pip". "Vic" subsequently entered the English language as the standard "Vee"-shaped flight pattern of three aircraft.
United States military spelling alphabets US Army radiotelephony spelling alphabet + Letter 1916 Signal Book 1916–1939 FM 24-5 1939–1941 FM 24-5 1941–1943 FM 24-12 1943–1955 ICAO 1956–present AAbleAfirmAfirmAbleAlfa BBoyBakerBakerBakerBravo CCastCastCastCharlieCharlie DDockDogDogDogDelta EEasyEasyEasyEasyEcho FFoxFoxFoxFoxFoxtrot GGeorgeGeorgeGeorgeGeorgeGolf HHaveHypoHypoHowHotel IItemInterInterItemIndia JJigJigJigJigJuliett KKingKingKingKingKilo LLoveLoveLoveLoveLima MMikeMikeMikeMikeMike NNanNegatNegatNanNovember OOpalOptionOptionOboeOscar PPupPrepPrepPeterPapa QQuackQueenQueenQueenQuebec RRushRogerRogerRogerRomeo SSailSailSailSugarSierra TTareTareTareTareTango UUnitUnitUnitUncleUniform VViceVictorVictorVictorVictor WWatchWilliamWilliamWilliamWhiskey XX-rayXrayXrayXrayX-ray YYokeYokeYokeYokeYankee ZZedZedZedZebraZulu 0ZeroZeroZeroZero 1WunWunWunWun 2TooTooTooToo 3Th-r-eeTh-r-eeThuh-reeTree 4Fo-werFo-werFo-werFow-er 5Fi-ivFi-yivFi-yivFife 6SiksSiksSixSiks 7Sev-venSev-venSevenSeven 8AteAteAteAte 9Ni-yenNi-yenNinerNiner 'Interrogatory' was used in place of 'Inter' in joint Army/Navy Operations.
US Navy radiotelephony spelling alphabet The US Navy's first phonetic spelling alphabet was not used for radio, but was instead used on the deck of ships "in calling out flags to be hoisted in a signal". There were two alternative alphabets used, which were almost completely different from each other, with only the code word "Xray" in common.
The US Navy's first radiotelephony phonetic spelling alphabet was published in 1913, in the Naval Radio Service's Handbook of Regulations developed by Captain William H. G. Bullard. The Handbook's procedures were described in the November 1917 edition of Popular Science Monthly.
+US Navy phonetic alphabets 1913 to presentPhonetic Alphabet and Signal Flags by Naval Historical Center (five phonetic alphabets: 1913, 1927, 1938, WWII, 1957–present) Letter 1908 1913–1926 1927–1937 1938 WWII ICAO 1956–present AActorAshAbleAfirmAfirmAFIRMAlfa BBakerBackBoyBakerBakerBAKERBravo CCanteenChainCastCastCastCHARLIECharlie DDiverDogDogDogDogDOGDelta EEagleEggEasyEasyEasyEASYEcho FFisherFoxFoxFoxFoxFOXFoxtrot GGangwayGigGeorgeGeorgeGeorgeGEORGEGolf HHalliardHorseHaveHypoHypoHOWHotel IInsectIceItemIntIntINTIndia JJockeyJakeJigJigJigJIGJuliett KKnapsackKingKingKingKingKINGKilo LLuggerLashLoveLoveLoveLOVELima MMusketMuleMikeMikeMikeMIKEMike NNeptuneNetNanNegatNegatNEGATNovember OOysterOakOboeOptionOptionOPTIONOscar PPistolPagePupPrepPrepPREPPapa QQuadrantQuailQuackQuackQueenQUEENQuebec RReeferRaftRushRogerRogerROGERRomeo SShipmateScoutSailSailSailSUGARSierra TTopsailTideTareTareTareTARETango UUnloadUseUnitUnitUnitUNCLEUniform VVesselVastViceViceVictorVICTORVictor WWindageWinchWatchWilliamWilliamWILLIAMWhiskey XXrayXrayX-rayX-rayX-rayXRAYX-ray YYeomanYachtYokeYokeYokeYOKEYankee ZZebraZooZedZedZedZEBRAZulu
Joint Army/Navy radiotelephony spelling alphabet