Hiroshima is marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japanese city on Wednesday.

Japan held a memorial service and ceremony for victims and the remaining survivors of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima, marking its 80th anniversary and renewing pledges of working towards a world without nuclear weapons.

As they fly wing-to-wing over a vital spot in the development of the atomic bomb, a native of Japan and a former U.S. military officer hope their friendship outshines the horror of the blasts that took place 80 years ago.