EYES ON MIDEAST: BLUFF WOMEN'S SONS WORK FOR CNN

POPLAR BLUFF -- Poplar Bluffians Virgie Jaco and Eleanor Buchanan have their eyes and ears glued to Cable News Network, watching and listening to each development in the Persian Gulf.

Although the women are interested in the war, the foremost issue on their minds is the welfare of their sons. Both are in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, covering the war for CNN.

Jaco's son, Charles D. Jaco, is a CNN correspondent and Buchanan's son, Patrick McNalley, is a network engineer.

A week ago three members of the CNN news team in Baghdad, Iraq, were the first to notify the world that war had erupted. Jaco and the other CNN crew members soon began dispatching bulletins from Saudi Arabia.

By Thursday night Jaco had his first opportunity to call home to let his mother know he was OK.

"He calls about every other night or so," she said.

Jaco, whose regular assignment is with CNN's Miami Bureau, has covered national and international stories. He covered the Panama invasion and the capture of Manuel Noriega, and has received more than 40 national and international awards.

His mother, who is not thrilled with her son's desire to be in the middle of the action, said: "I don't like it, of course, but there is nothing I can do about it. I have to go along with what he wants to do. He was over there because he volunteered to go I suppose."

She said she "was scared, naturally," upon learning the war had started.

As an engineer, Buchanan's son makes sure reports get through to viewers around the world. McNalley and Jaco work opposite shifts and stay in hotels across town from each other.

Realizing he probably would be out of the country at Christmas, McNalley and his mother celebrated Thanksgiving at his sister's home in Denver. He left Atlanta Dec. 16.

Working in a combat zone is not new to McNalley; he also was a member of the CNN team that covered the Panama invasion.

Buchanan said her son was "really enjoying himself" before the war started. She said he thought the culture, foods and sights in Saudi Arabia were interesting.

McNalley called his mother Saturday.

Buchanan explained her son, Jaco and the rest of the CNN team "work pretty long hours." She said: "That is part of it. A war is not a 9-to-5 kind of job."

Buchanan said: "There is nothing like hearing his voice. I am just like any other mother. I will be glad when he is home."