Step 1 : Introduction to the question "Whose likeness is depicted on the Purple Heart?"
On this day in 1782, General George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army, created the original Purple Heart, designated as the “Badge of Military Merit”. The Purple Heart award is a heart-shaped medal within a gold border, containing a profile of General George Washington. The Order of the Purple Heart, the oldest American military decoration for military merit, is awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who have been killed or wounded in action against an enemy. It is also awarded to soldiers who have suffered maltreatment as prisoners of war.