United States service academies, Group of institutions of higher education for the training of military and merchant marine officers: the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis), the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (established 1876 near New London, Connecticut), and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (established 1943 at Kings Point, Long Island, N.Y.).