but not for jim gant. he and his wife ann went back recently as civilians with no u.s.ection, they were welcomed like family. >> my heart just wanted to burst. i was so happy to see them again. they're my family. my family. i was a member of their tribe. i was a member. they appreciated me for what i am, and i'm a warrior. that's all i ever wanted to be. and they loved and respected that. >> reporter: the shots fired this time were in celebration. >> music to my ears, yes. >> reporter: happy gunfire. >> happy gunfire, happy gunfire. >> reporter: for "nightline," this is brian ross, abc news. >> our thanks to brian ross for that remarkable story. >>> coming up next for us, we take you across the nation for explosive celebrations on this fourth of july. when folks think about what they get from alaska, they think salmon and energy. but the energy bp produces up here creates something else as well: jobs all over america. engineering and innovation jobs. advanced safety systems & technology. shipping and manufacturing. across the united states, bp supports more than a quart

>>> let's return now to the story of highly decorated special forces hero jim gant and the journalist he loved. they risk everything to brave war by each other's side. but when other demons surfaced, they battled resistance from their own camp. so who gave them away and why? here again, abc's brian ross. >> reporter: jim gant always relished a good fight. >> we can have the best tactics in the world, the best equipment in the world, the best plan in the world. but it's going to come down to, when this happens, our bravery, our courage to fight. >> reporter: and for a time, gant's unconventional tactics in working with the tribes of afghanistan and his willingness to break the rules made him a serious threat to the taliban, and also he says to the army bureaucracy they would later break him. >> they did not deal with me honorably. there were some people in my chain of command who were looking for something to do to get me off the battlefield. >> reporter: and he gave them all the ammunition they needed, when a new first lieutenant filed an official report about his drinking, the pills,

here again, abc's brian ross. >> reporter: jim gant always relished a good fight. >> we can have thethis happens, our bravery, our courage to fight. >> reporter: and for a time, gant's unconventional tactics in working with the tribes of afghanistan and his willingness to break the rules made him a serious threat to the taliban, and also he says to the army bureaucracy they would l