Video by Eric Brandner

TWENTYNINE PALMS, California—Most of the Marines didn’t seem to care who won the Super Bowl. After training all day in a place where they can barely get cell phone reception, they were just excited the game was actually on.

Bob Hope USO-Palm Springs orchestrated one of the larger Super Bowl parties in America that no one knew about on Sunday night, when they brought a satellite receiver and large inflatable screen out to the chow hall at Camp Wilson on Marine Corps Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. The center’s actions meant 1,870 Marines who attended got to watch the Super Bowl.

“We were asked to come out and help provide the Super Bowl to the Marines out here,” said Teresa Cherry, the center manager at Bob Hope USO-Palm Springs. “Even though they have no cell phone service, no Internet service, we were able to pick up the satellite and catch the signal.”

Cherry was contacted by Marine Staff Sgt. Salvador Garibay more than a week before the big game with the request. After a little research, the USO team at Palm Springs came up with a solution that got nearly half the population of the desert warfare training facility out to see the Broncos victory over the Panthers.

You can send a message of support and thanks directly to service members via the USO’s Campaign to Connect. Your messages will appear on screens at USO locations around the world.