During which expedition were aircraft first used for observation to find Pancho Villa?

The Mexican Expedition, also known as the Punitive Expedition, was the first military operation in which aircraft were deployed for reconnaissance purposes in the United States military. In 1916, General John J. Pershing was sent into Mexico to capture the revolutionary leader Pancho Villa, who had conducted raids into U.S. territory. During this expedition, the U.S. Army utilized airplanes primarily for locating Villa’s forces and conducting surveillance over the rugged terrain, marking a significant moment in military aviation history.

This use of aircraft underscored a pivotal evolution in military strategy, demonstrating how air power could enhance ground operations and intelligence-gathering efforts. The successful integration of aviation into the expedition influenced future military operations and established the importance of air reconnaissance in conflict. The other options listed, such as World War I and the Spanish-American War, occurred with different tactical focuses and levels of aircraft utilization, while Operation Enduring Freedom came much later and had a different context surrounding the use of aviation.