'I would give a lot to see this tile flipped over so I could see the back.'
We aim to please:
I'm pretty sure that this is the back of the tile. The NASA Web page with both pictures (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/investigation/caib/briefing_02252003.html) says that "This is a view of a single thermal protection system tile", from which bit of awkward verbiage I'd conclude that the pictures show both sides of one tile. Note the divot out of the front/left edge in this image--I'm pretty sure it matches the chunk missing in the other image where the large crater meets the edge of the tile.
--Robert