and like bankston, he too fought to return to afghanistan to lead his men.ll of them had less than a month before going home. their objective, find a way to get home alive. >> you really have 16 days left? >> yes. >> reporter: but first they had to get through what would be their final battle. >> 3rd platoon, raise your hand as it's called out -- >> reporter: bankston and mott brief their part of "operation strong eagle 3" on a huge battlefield mockup called a sand table. they were a little nervous about it. 400 u.s. soldiers would be airlifted into a remote mountain valley near pakistan that served as the headquarters for a top taliban and al qaeda leader. >> this is barwalla pale. this is his home. this is his sanctuary. this is his neighborhood. no one's ever dared to go in there. you think it's going to cause a ruckus? i think so too. >> i don't think anybody was necessarily prepared for exactly what it was going to be like. but some of us had, you know, the worst in mind. >> watch this way. >> reporter: at the start of the mission, even the terrain work