. >> reporter: 7,000 miles from the chaos in afghanistan, marine corps major thomas schuman has beentwo time zones. working day and night, desperately trying to get his former interpreter, zach, out. >> zach was with me literally every step of the way through firefights, ambushes, casualties, you name it, zach was there. >> reporter: zach is just one of thousands of afghans and americans caught in a week from hell. >> let me be clear. any american who wants to come home, we will get you home. >> reporter: today, promises from the white house. but the reality on the ground is much worse than anyone could have imagined. including new reports of the taliban harassing and beating americans. >> i actually got whacked with one of these fan belts for not moving fast enough. >> it's been another tense, difficult day here in kabul. people are still struggling by the thousands to get through those checkpoints to the american side of the airport, onto those evacuation flights, and away to some sense of liberation, some sense of freedom, at least release, away from the danger here in the city. >