Used Ink, I'm not sure that you're giving the crew a fair go.
The craft wasn't - as far as we know - damaged until after, or at least during, the launch.
If they, and/or NASA, had known about the extent of the damage - if indeed that was the cause - and it's potential repercussions, would it not have been possible, desirable, and indeed expedient, to send up a second shuttle to rescue them?
I would take quite some convincing that either NASA or the crew were aware of any such potential problem prior to attempted re-entry.