In January 1942, the area of the village of Donja Gradina was merged to the Concentration camp. This village, located across from Camp III – Brickyard, on the right bank of the Sava River, became the largest place of execution in Jasenovac. The territory of the village is surrounded on three sides by rivers Una and Sava. The only land access to the south, towards Prosara i Kozara, was guarded by system of bunkers and trenches. Ustashas chose the village of Donja Gradina for mass eliminations because of remoteness, good natural protection and inaccessibility. In January 1942, Ustashas with the assistance of Home Guards crossed the Sava River. Around two hundred inhabitants of Donja Gradina who did not manage to flee from the village were taken to the camp several days after which they were returned to the village by the Ustashas and killed there. Those were the first victims killed in Donja Gradina. Most of the houses were set on fire and the village was completely destroyed. The village Orthodox Church, built in 1894, was pulled down, too. Over the following days, Ustashas and Home Guards committed crimes in the area South of Donja Gradina. According to Home Guard’s reports, Home Guard-Ustasha units crossed the Sava River at several points on 14 January and, supported by units from Bosanska Dubica, headed towards the Serbian villages south of Sava. The villages of Draksenić, Demirovac and Međeđa were attacked. Civilians who did not manage to escape were killed. The same day, they set one hundred houses on fire and forced all the cattle from the village in the camp direction.

Ustashas and Home Guards killed 204 civilians in the village of Draksenić alone, 64 of which were killed in the Orthodox Church. Units of the 2nd Krajina National-Liberation Squad that arrived in the village after Ustashas had left saw a horrific sight. Massacred dead bodies of women, children and elderly people were lying in piles in the Church. Ichor and brain were pouring out of smashed children’s skulls. The bodies of those who were murdered were placed in a common grave in the courtyard of the Church, whereas the brains of those whose heads had been smashed were placed in a different one. This crime in the Church remains known as the Bloody Liturgy among the people.