The State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall, upon proper proof received from an appropriate agency of the National Military Establishment, or from the United States Department of Commerce, record the death of any person who died while in the military or naval or maritime or merchant marine service of the United States, and who at the time of entering said service was a resident of the State of New Jersey.
Proper proof as required by this section shall be the official letter from an appropriate agency of the National Military Establishment or the United States Department of Commerce, to the next of kin of such deceased person.