A red herring argument.
MANY of these tiles have survived substanyially intact during a hair 'more than just a breath' while falling from +200,000 feet (NOT to mention some sort of explosion while up there at Mach 18).
I now think that is was the RCC in the left wing's leading edge -
- part of the LESS (Leading Edge Structural Subsystem) system
- that was damaged during lift-off ...
How 'bout them apples?
Russian Roullette.
The Columbia lost.
Much better to keep the reentry vehicle safely away from liftoff and boost phase peril.