Project Grudge Incident #317 — Des Moines, Iowa, 7 April 1949

This document is a formal Report of Investigation regarding Incident No. 317, a sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported by Mr. M. L. Ahern in Des Moines, Iowa, on 7 April 1949. Mr. Ahern, a retired individual, claimed to have been awakened at 0415 hours by a terrifying light shining through his bedroom blinds. He described the object as being twice the size of a full moon, resembling a grocery sugar scoop, and colored in shades of red, yellow, and purple. He stated the object moved slowly toward the north and eventually disappeared behind a neighbor's house. Mr. Ahern provided detailed sketches of the object, which he claimed was composed of thick metal and appeared to be filled with fire. The investigation was initiated following a request from the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Special Agent Frank A. Gallagher of the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) conducted the investigation, which included interviews with neighbors and a review of local police and sheriff records. The consensus among the neighbors and the investigating officers was that Mr. Ahern was an eccentric individual who had a history of causing trouble in the neighborhood and was prone to making unsubstantiated claims. The report explicitly characterizes the sighting as an 'UNRELIABLE REPORT' and concludes that the observer was likely seeking publicity or was otherwise incapable of providing accurate information. The file includes correspondence between Mr. Ahern and the Air Force, as well as detailed questionnaires completed by the observer regarding the sighting. The case was closed by the 5th District Office of Special Investigations on 27 July 1949, with the final assessment being that the report was unreliable and did not warrant further investigation.