The conclusion was supported by the survivor's account and the known history of American torpedo malfunctions.
But there was no surviving submarine from which investigators could recover the weapon or examine the damage.
The precise mechanical failure therefore remained unconfirmed.
What was certain was that a massive explosion had struck Tullibee immediately after its attack.
And the submarine was going down.
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Clifford Kuykendall Was Thrown Into the Pacific
Gunner's Mate Second Class Clifford Weldon Kuykendall was standing watch on the bridge when the explosion occurred.
He was above the submarine's pressure hull, exposed to the night air.
The blast was powerful enough to throw him into the water.
Kuykendall later described a sudden flash and concussion before finding himself struggling in the sea.
The explosion had left him disoriented.
Around him, the surface of the ocean was covered with oil from the damaged submarine.
He inflated his life belt and attempted to stay afloat.
Nearby, the submarine was sinking.
In his official account, Kuykendall described seeing the bow rise sharply, at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, before the vessel disappeared.
For a brief period, he could hear other American sailors calling out in the darkness.
Their voices continued for several minutes.
Then they stopped.
Kuykendall could not identify the men who had been calling, nor could he determine exactly how many had reached the surface.
He never saw another survivor.
The submarine disappeared beneath the water, taking the overwhelming majority of its crew with it.
There was no organized rescue operation.
No nearby American vessel had been alerted to the disaster.
Kuykendall was alone in enemy-controlled waters, surrounded by darkness and oil, with no certainty that anyone would find him.
He remained afloat through the night.
At daylight, he could see no surviving shipmates or significant wreckage.
The water around him still bore evidence of the catastrophe.
The fate of USS Tullibee had been decided in minutes.
For Kuykendall, the struggle to survive was only beginning.
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