<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811869
<NAME> THE AAL MUTUAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 05
   <NAME> THE AAL U.S. GOVERNMENT ZERO COUPON TARGET FUND SERIES 2001
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               OCT-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        1,628,334
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       1,714,729
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     718
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                               612
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,716,059
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       93,250
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                             93,250
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     1,529,270
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          151,609
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          164,753
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                      (3,984)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                         11,128
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                        86,395
<NET-ASSETS>                                 1,622,809
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               58,276
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                   6,415
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         51,861
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                         6,972
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       43,539
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          102,372
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                     (51,861)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                              0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (13,205)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                 61
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        (88,005)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                            309
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                         4156
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                  6,415
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         1,657,060
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            10.38
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  0.320
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          0.320
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                      (0.320)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              10.70
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .73
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>