After He Was Attacked By A Shark, Robert Pamperin’s Body Was Never Recovered
Wikimedia CommonsLa Jolla Cove is a popular spot in San Diego, California.
La Jolla Cove is the most photographed beach in California for a reason. Tucked between two sandstone cliffs, it’s nothing short of picturesque.
However, on June 14, 1959, La Jolla Cove was anything but picturesque.
That day, Robert Pamperin was headed down to La Jolla Cove with his wife, his friend Gerald Lehrer, and his wife. Lehrer and Pamperin were headed to the cove to skin dive for abalone, a type of sea snail.
Unfortunately for the pair, they were headed to the cove at a bad time. Earlier in the day, people had been spearfishing in the waters, and a local Navy officer had badly cut his hand in the water – both things that would attract sharks to these waters.
The two left their wives on the beach and headed for the water. Pamperin jumped in first, with Lehrer intending to follow.
Find A GraveA clipping about Pamperin in the newspaper following his death.
However, just as Lehrer was getting ready to jump, he heard his friend shout out, “Help me!” In terror, Lehrer watched as his friend was taken below the waves.
Lehrer immediately jumped into the water to try and help his friend, assuming he may have been suffering from a cramp or other medical emergency. Instead what Lehrer found was Pamperin being dragged to the bottom of the ocean by a 22-foot shark.
There was nothing Lehrer could do to help his friend. When the U.S. Coast Guard came around to search for Pamperin’s remains, all they found was a swimming fin.
