Oscar Garza Reyes, Sr. was born in San Antonio, Texas on Feb. 25, 1924 to Elpidio and Maria Garza Trevino Reyes. He joined the U.S. Navy, 1943-1945 and served in WWII. He was on board the US Navy ship USS NOA, was shipped out to the South Pacific then to Guadalcanal – Solomon Islands where he was a photographer and worked in the photo lab on the island. WWII ended Sept. 2, 1945.

After Reyes discharge papers were signed, he moved to New Orleans and worked on Bourbon St. at LaFrance photo shop and lab. He met a man named John Carinhas in New Orleans who owned Louisiana Menhaden in Cameron. He asked Reyes if he would come down and take pictures of his Pogey boats.

After coming to Cameron, Reyes loved the quiet and slow pace of Cameron Parish. He moved there in 1947 and worked at Louisiana Menhaden Plant until it closed and he retired. Reyes married Peggy Bourque and has six children, 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.