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From Tajikistan to the Moon
A Story of Tragedy, Survival and Triumph of the Human Spirit
Robert Frimtzis
Secure Transaction
or call toll free 1(800)247-6553
Price: $26.95
Casebound with Jacket | 376 pages
ISBN: 978-0-615-19903-0 |
Summary
From Tajikistan to the Moon - a memoir is an inspirational, compelling true story of the spellbinding events of World War II, Robert's escape, his flight to freedom and ultimate success in America. Told from an unique Soviet perspective he takes you from surviving bombs of the Nazi Blitzkrieg in Moldova, imminent starvation and deprivation in a mud hut in Tajikistan to contributing to America's lunar exploration and spacecraft development to keep America safe. As Project Manager of the Apollo Mission Simulator, he worked closely with Neil Armstrong. He also contributed to the successes of the Surveyor unmanned lunar lander, defense satellites and the Gamma Ray Observatory spacecraft. Without warning, Robert's childhood was shattered, his home destroyed, and he was plunged into the madness and savagery of World War II. At the age of ten, he learned the terror of bombings, the pain of near starvation, and the omnipresence of death. Robert's family evaded Nazi capture by running eastward 3000 miles to Tajikistan. To get to America they crossed borders illegally, trekked across half Europe and eventually ended up in Displaced Persons (DP)camps in Italy. Robert discovered ORT in Cremona, Italy, DP camps. A door opened for his future when he was chosen to be part of the 1949 Inaugural Class of the Central ORT Institute in Geneva, Switzerland - one of the fortunate three out of 400 applicants throughout Italy. At nineteen, penniless and with little English Robert arrived in America with the goal to continue his education. He earned a Bachelor's Degree from CCNY and a Master's Degree from Columbia University, both in electrical engineering, without finishing high school. From Tajikistan to the Moon - a story of tragedy, survival and triumph of the human spirit will inspire you to navigate the mazes in life and overcome its obstacles.
About the Author
At the age of ten Robert Frimtzis' peaceful town Beltz (in Moldova) was destroyed by the Nazis and he survived the ravages of World War II by fleeing to Tajikistan. Hunger forced him to quit school and get his first fulltime job at the age of twelve. To escape from the Soviet anti-Semitism and get to America, Robert crossed many borders illegally. At nineteen, he reached America where he earned a Bachelor's Degree from CCNY and a Master's from Columbia University, both in electrical engineering, without finishing high school. In various engineering management positions, Robert contributed to the successes of Apollo (worked with Neil Armstrong) and Surveyor lunar explorations, defense satellites and the Gamma Ray Observatory spacecraft. He also founded RFA Associates, a software engineering company. Robert is currently retired, has been married for over fifty years and lives in Rancho Santa Fe, California. They have four children and six grandchildren.
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